Product of Poverty
The products of poverty in Africa are street children. Street children, as defined by Street Child Africa, are any “young person for whom the street is the dominant element in their lives. In other words, a child who works all day on the street, out of education and removed from family is a street child.” There are many ways as to which a child falls victim to the street, but the most common is linked to poverty. Many of these children on the street wish to help their families any way they can. Thus, they turn to begging and trying to raise funds for not only their families, but educations as well. When a child is in school and cannot pay for the next term’s tuition, they often turn to the street to make the money they don’t have. However, this cycle is a vicious one and it is nearly impossible to get out of. Once children have to resort to the street life, even part-time, it is unlikely that they will get out without some sort of help. Even part-time street life leads to full-time street life. Street life only leads to a life further in poverty. It is an endless cycle that much of the population falls victim to, often at an early age. One girl named Mariama, who was only 8-yrs-old, was caring for her three younger siblings, one five, three, and an infant. She and her siblings had lost their parents and she was alone in caring for these kids as a child herself. She was worried that if authorities found her they would be placed in foster care and she would be separated from her siblings. She was practically invisible to the outside world, but she was very resourceful. She and her siblings were living off the pickings from a rubbish dump. She has now been placed in a program in which they are trying to keep her and her siblings together.
Malnourishment
Hunger is another large factor which leads to the street. It is no mystery that poverty induces hunger. No money means no money for food. So when these children look to the streets, many are just looking for a bite to eat. Many children go days without food, and if they do find food they look for it in bins, underneath market stalls, and from abattoirs. Because of the poor diet these children endure, they are often malnourished and subject to sickness. Recently, Washington State University partook in ‘A Day Without Shoes’ by Tom’s Shoes. Tom’s Shoes in an organization where they donate a pair of shoes to a developing country where shoes are sparse for every pair they sell. This is a wonderful organization that spreads awareness about populations that go barefoot and travel miles in harsh conditions, sometimes just to find fresh water. I urge everyone to take part in this annual event on April 8th. However, I don’t think people are as aware as they should be about the hunger that takes place in developing countries like those in Africa. I urge people to partake in a day without food. No, this is not a sponsored event, although it should be. Try living just one day without food just to put into perspective what children go through on a day to day basis. In the United States, we wouldn’t know a whole lot about going without food or eating scraps, especially since we are one of the leading countries for obesity. Just because they are far away does not mean we should not care.
Shuttup and Do Something
We can say that it is not up to us and that their government should do something about it. However, it is their government which is part of the problem. Relying on Africa’s governments to change the future of these children would be irresponsible. Their future is really in the hands of non-governmental organizations. Provisions don’t come from these children’s governments; it comes from those who are aware. However, that isn’t always enough. Before their lives can be set back on track, awareness needs to be spread. More people should be aware so something can be done about it. Imagine if your children or younger siblings were living in these conditions. Imagine a day without food. Imagine your only food coming from dumps. Become aware.
Street Child Africa
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Friday, April 16, 2010
Friday, April 9, 2010
Straight to the Source
Child Trafficking in Africa
This is a wonderful site to get loads of information about the child trafficking in Africa. It not only describes what the issue is, but it gives examples from several different countries in Africa. On top of that it gives prevention strategies as well as whom to contact about involvement. There’s only so much to say about the site other than that it compiles loads of information on the subject into different sections of this one website. It is definitely a key resource when researching about the trafficking of children in Africa.
Child Trafficking
This site is a research hub for child trafficking all over the world. It is really useful in the aspect that it provides pdf’s that can be downloaded. As far as the actual site, it provides information about child trafficking, prevention strategies, and different organizations that help. It is really helpful when focusing on more than just child trafficking as it also provides information on the trafficking of all human beings, and not just in Africa.
Globalization and Child Labor
This site is very useful when looking at the direct correlations between child labor and globalization. More specifically this source looks at the cacao production and child laborers in West Africa. However, it is very useful to see how the global market causes riches for some and harsh conditions for others.
West Africa: Combating Child Trafficking
This source mainly focuses on Ghana and its history of child trafficking. It also shows similar patterns in Gambia. Throughout this source it provides the relationship between the two African countries and their experiences with child trafficking. It tells of the history and what should come in the future to stop this problem.
URA Campaigns Against Sexual Abuse
This is a great source for focusing on the progression of preventing child trafficking. It really shows the current problems in Uganda and problems that have previously occurred as well as demonstrate the new methods of prevention. Excuses such as “limited resources” are being refuted and the cases are being reexamined. Uganda has finally had enough of the child kidnapping, rapes, and killings. They are finally trying to put an end to it.
Sudan Street Children
This source mainly focuses on the street children of Sudan. This is a great source for finding out more about how the children came to be. It also shows how corrupt the government can be. In many other sources, they outline what the government is trying to do, but this particular source demonstrates how the government is failing at what should be done. This source sheds light on the so-called “street” children and how some of them are not what they appear to be. Although many of them were previously abducted children, some have homes and families but are still taken by the government because they portray a certain image. It is a very interesting view of child trafficking and the government.
Objective Thinking
This source is somewhat vague on the concept of child labor in Africa. It is really useful as a visual aid though. There is a map that is proportionate to child labor around the world. It shows which countries have the highest number of child laborers in relation to its size. This source is also great when looking at the cycle of child trafficking, what contributes to it, and what keeps it going.
Child Labor in Africa
This source really focuses on child labor in Africa, pretty self-explanatory given the title. It provides some sound examples of the hardships families go through. It also explains what is being done to try and stop the traffickers in Africa. The overall theme of this source is poverty as the key problem to child trafficking, which seems to be a common theme in other sources as well.
History of Child Labor
Although this source is somewhat short, it is good in explaining what child labor actually is and why it is a problem. It begins with the overall meaning of child labor and the different types, then proceeds on about the history, and finishes with the laws enacted against the exploitation of children.
Globalization, Over-exploitation, and Social Exclusion: The View from the Children
This source is excellent for the generalities of child labor. It maps out where and how child labor is an issue, not just for third world countries, but also those at the top of the capitalist countries. It really provides the link between globalization and capitalism. It starts by explaining the origin of child labor, then transitions into sexual exploitation, and finally it concludes with the killings of children and the child soldiers.
Stolen Childhood
This source is helpful when looking for more than just trafficking. It provides visuals of for many problems that occur in many different countries. When looking for trafficking specifically there are visuals for that as well. The information may not be as much as some of the other sources, but it is definitely useful in the aspect of providing visuals. This source puts a face to the problem. It makes the problem more real for people who are so used to just numbers.
The Use of Children as Soldiers in Africa
This source provides an in-depth view of children soldiers in Africa. It outlines the reasons as to how the children are recruited by the government and what they go through. It is obvious when reading this that making children fight in wars and genocides is a definite problem we should all pay attention to. It also gives evidence that there are organizations trying to fight this issue. This source is more useful when focusing on child soldiers, rather than more generally child trafficking. However, they are related in the actual causes.
In Africa, Money isn’t the Only Reason Young Girls are Sexually Exploited
This source provides anecdotal evidence about the problem of young girls who are taken as sex slaves. It lacks some empirical evidence that the other sources provide, however it is much easier to connect to on a more emotional level. Reading this source definitely aids in the understanding the different trafficking problems in Africa. Although most of the sexual assault is blamed on money, there is apparently a myth that claims that having intercourse with a young girl cures AIDS. This source is a tragic eye opener, but necessary for understanding.
Oak Foundation
This source is very brief in explaining the different organizations that aid in the prevention of child trafficking of all sources. Not only does it provide the different organizations, but it also gives several different prevention strategies for those who are not active members of these organizations. This is a necessary tool when looking at child trafficking because it is not enough just to look at the problem. Looking at the different methods of prevention should be incorporated in any child trafficking research.
Street Child Africa
This is another source that describes an organization which is working towards the aid of children. This organization however incorporates more than one and is working in more than seven countries in Africa now. They focus on the children who are living on the street and they try to provide homes and care for them. The main goal is to get these children off the streets and lead them away from the road to poverty. They want to give the opportunity for a better education which has been taken away from the children. They provide stories from some of the children who have been helped. Contact information is also available to make donations or help support the cause. On top of literature they further promote their cause with visual aid. This source is more for incorporating personal activism than empirical support.
This is a wonderful site to get loads of information about the child trafficking in Africa. It not only describes what the issue is, but it gives examples from several different countries in Africa. On top of that it gives prevention strategies as well as whom to contact about involvement. There’s only so much to say about the site other than that it compiles loads of information on the subject into different sections of this one website. It is definitely a key resource when researching about the trafficking of children in Africa.
Child Trafficking
This site is a research hub for child trafficking all over the world. It is really useful in the aspect that it provides pdf’s that can be downloaded. As far as the actual site, it provides information about child trafficking, prevention strategies, and different organizations that help. It is really helpful when focusing on more than just child trafficking as it also provides information on the trafficking of all human beings, and not just in Africa.
Globalization and Child Labor
This site is very useful when looking at the direct correlations between child labor and globalization. More specifically this source looks at the cacao production and child laborers in West Africa. However, it is very useful to see how the global market causes riches for some and harsh conditions for others.
West Africa: Combating Child Trafficking
This source mainly focuses on Ghana and its history of child trafficking. It also shows similar patterns in Gambia. Throughout this source it provides the relationship between the two African countries and their experiences with child trafficking. It tells of the history and what should come in the future to stop this problem.
URA Campaigns Against Sexual Abuse
This is a great source for focusing on the progression of preventing child trafficking. It really shows the current problems in Uganda and problems that have previously occurred as well as demonstrate the new methods of prevention. Excuses such as “limited resources” are being refuted and the cases are being reexamined. Uganda has finally had enough of the child kidnapping, rapes, and killings. They are finally trying to put an end to it.
Sudan Street Children
This source mainly focuses on the street children of Sudan. This is a great source for finding out more about how the children came to be. It also shows how corrupt the government can be. In many other sources, they outline what the government is trying to do, but this particular source demonstrates how the government is failing at what should be done. This source sheds light on the so-called “street” children and how some of them are not what they appear to be. Although many of them were previously abducted children, some have homes and families but are still taken by the government because they portray a certain image. It is a very interesting view of child trafficking and the government.
Objective Thinking
This source is somewhat vague on the concept of child labor in Africa. It is really useful as a visual aid though. There is a map that is proportionate to child labor around the world. It shows which countries have the highest number of child laborers in relation to its size. This source is also great when looking at the cycle of child trafficking, what contributes to it, and what keeps it going.
Child Labor in Africa
This source really focuses on child labor in Africa, pretty self-explanatory given the title. It provides some sound examples of the hardships families go through. It also explains what is being done to try and stop the traffickers in Africa. The overall theme of this source is poverty as the key problem to child trafficking, which seems to be a common theme in other sources as well.
History of Child Labor
Although this source is somewhat short, it is good in explaining what child labor actually is and why it is a problem. It begins with the overall meaning of child labor and the different types, then proceeds on about the history, and finishes with the laws enacted against the exploitation of children.
Globalization, Over-exploitation, and Social Exclusion: The View from the Children
This source is excellent for the generalities of child labor. It maps out where and how child labor is an issue, not just for third world countries, but also those at the top of the capitalist countries. It really provides the link between globalization and capitalism. It starts by explaining the origin of child labor, then transitions into sexual exploitation, and finally it concludes with the killings of children and the child soldiers.
Stolen Childhood
This source is helpful when looking for more than just trafficking. It provides visuals of for many problems that occur in many different countries. When looking for trafficking specifically there are visuals for that as well. The information may not be as much as some of the other sources, but it is definitely useful in the aspect of providing visuals. This source puts a face to the problem. It makes the problem more real for people who are so used to just numbers.
The Use of Children as Soldiers in Africa
This source provides an in-depth view of children soldiers in Africa. It outlines the reasons as to how the children are recruited by the government and what they go through. It is obvious when reading this that making children fight in wars and genocides is a definite problem we should all pay attention to. It also gives evidence that there are organizations trying to fight this issue. This source is more useful when focusing on child soldiers, rather than more generally child trafficking. However, they are related in the actual causes.
In Africa, Money isn’t the Only Reason Young Girls are Sexually Exploited
This source provides anecdotal evidence about the problem of young girls who are taken as sex slaves. It lacks some empirical evidence that the other sources provide, however it is much easier to connect to on a more emotional level. Reading this source definitely aids in the understanding the different trafficking problems in Africa. Although most of the sexual assault is blamed on money, there is apparently a myth that claims that having intercourse with a young girl cures AIDS. This source is a tragic eye opener, but necessary for understanding.
Oak Foundation
This source is very brief in explaining the different organizations that aid in the prevention of child trafficking of all sources. Not only does it provide the different organizations, but it also gives several different prevention strategies for those who are not active members of these organizations. This is a necessary tool when looking at child trafficking because it is not enough just to look at the problem. Looking at the different methods of prevention should be incorporated in any child trafficking research.
Street Child Africa
This is another source that describes an organization which is working towards the aid of children. This organization however incorporates more than one and is working in more than seven countries in Africa now. They focus on the children who are living on the street and they try to provide homes and care for them. The main goal is to get these children off the streets and lead them away from the road to poverty. They want to give the opportunity for a better education which has been taken away from the children. They provide stories from some of the children who have been helped. Contact information is also available to make donations or help support the cause. On top of literature they further promote their cause with visual aid. This source is more for incorporating personal activism than empirical support.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Uganda Revenue Authority
Ignorance is Bliss
In Uganda child trafficking hasn’t changed much over the years and is still very prevalent. While some cases are reported to the authorities, several go unreported and unnoticed. Their excuse for not following up on all the cases was lack of resources. This seems to be a common trait many countries share when it comes to issues such as these. It seems as though the government, not just of Uganda but other third world countries as well, only intervene enough to make it look like they did give a solid effort to help. In the movie Letters from the Other Side the women of Mexico are given some baking equipment from the government to open up their own bakery since they were poor. Their husbands had gone to the United States to find work and left them with practically nothing. Well the government stepped in and decided to give them a helping hand and donate this equipment. However, the women who received the equipment did not have the proper means to operate the equipment they were given. What seemed like a nice gesture from the government was really just a tease. Although Mexico is far away from Uganda and the cases are not entirely the same, they are very similar in nature. Families were in need of work, and when times were hard they turned to the government who only stepped in so much to create the illusion that they were helping. The real difference between the two situations is the amount of children lives that are being lost and tormented in Uganda. When the government doesn’t step in enough in this case, several lives are lost.
Time for Change
However, several operations are now underway in Uganda to help fight child trafficking and abuse. The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) is cracking down on the problem of child abuse and not accepting excuses such as “limited resources” to ignore cases anymore. The URA believes that more attention should be given to child trafficking and more awareness to support the fight against it. An ‘Open Minds Forum’ has been enacted to help raise funds to aid in the fight against child sexual abuse. The ‘Open Minds Forum’ would be tax revenue that focuses on helping and educating police officers stop this problem. However, it is not just for the police, but for the public to be aware as well, and so the program opened with a charity walk, where women and children share their own sexual abuse stories.
Realization
What I find shocking are the numbers. There were over 9,000 cases reported in the first six months of 2009 in Uganda. That is only the first six months and that does not include the cases that go unreported. It amazes me that it took so long to start something such as the ‘Open Minds Forum’ for the public as well as the government to really step forward and so something about the obvious problem. It seems as though sometimes a number isn’t enough to get people to really help. A number isn’t personal; it doesn’t always hit home. Anecdotes tend to do the job, so I can see how the charity walk that was put on can really help raise awareness. People listen to other people’s stories. It is also difficult to get involved with something that is far away. Most people don’t want to pay attention to the horror that goes on over sees, because they feel as though they wouldn’t be able to make a change anyway. I think this is a problem the entire world suffers with. A lot of people barely want to help change the problems in their own country, let alone someone else’s. We all want the government to do it for us, and their government to do it for them. However, as stated earlier, the government sometimes only does so much. They put their foot in the door to the problem and offer a suggestion, but feel as though the work is done, when in reality nothing was actually solved.
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