I chose to explore Djibouti Africa because I have a friend
who recently came back from that region assisting in Aid as a U.S. Marine and
he told me of all the hardship that the small communities endure compare to the
luxuries we have as Americans.
The challenges that young children and the people face in
Djibouti are the high risk of contracting the AIDS virus. Nearly 16,000 people out of the 850,000
population have HIV and 9,000 of them are women and 1,000 are children. The fact that Djibouti is a poor community
and that drugs such as Katz are the main resource for money is a poor
indication of the influences that confront these children on a daily
basis.
The fact that children are exposed to prostitution and
sickness amongst their family as well as, their community is scarring the lives
of these young children. They are facing
adult problems in a time in which they should be discovering life not being
exposed to the dark side of it.
As a person it kills me to see young children struggle or feel
as if they have no opportunities because eof the tragedy that they face. I believe, HIV/AIDS is not a diagnosis for
death but, a certificate to live and make a difference in the world. As anti-bias educator, I must be aware of the
issues surrounding young children and know that I need to provide them with a
classroom of support and security.
Challenges build integrity and I need to remember that I should never
judge a book by its cover but, encourage that child to be the best that they
can be.
Hi Michele, I can feel your pain about these children. Djibouti is one of those countries that drought and war has brought untold sufferings to the children. I have seen the impact of HIV/AIDS even in my own country and I can tell you it gives a bleak, austere and dreary future for most of the young children growing up. Promiscuity is still on the rise because young children see it as a quick source of income to survive but ironically send them too early in their graves. As educators creating awareness by talking about it and sharing ideas on the plight of children in some of these countries is essential.
ReplyDeleteMichele,
ReplyDeleteConditions in Tanzania are similar in that HIV is such a threat. Thankfully, there are many initiatives to educate about HIV and to make sure medications are being taken properly. We sponsor a girl who is now 17 in Tanzania and they send her report card to us to let us see what she is learning and how she is doing. Health class, including focus on the risks and treatment of HIV, is one of the classes she has taken for the past several years. More initiatives like UNICEF and Compassion International are needed in so many areas.
Hi Michele,
ReplyDeleteInequitable opportunities, privileges and life experiences deeply affect young children’s lives. Thank you for the post about children of Djibouti. Thankfully, UNICEF and its partners are working among the young people raising HIV awareness. This makes me wonder how we can work beyond our classrooms, step into the terrain of broad social action aiming to transform the conditions. Our hope is that by engaging our youngest children in our communities in social justice and ecological teaching we can change history, create the kind of society in which we hope to live.