I chose the alternative for my blog this week to contacting resources in another country. I chose to listen to a podcast on the World Forum Foundation Radio website, Episode 1 featuring Banabus Otaala, Dean of Education who talked about working with children affected by AIDS. Parents were afraid to tell the child was HIV positive because of fear of stigmatization He spoke about the establishment of partnerships between Parents, Teachers and Doctors in Uganda so that children could get the help they need. Mr. Otaala said the Parents respected the doctors and were more willing to do as the Doctor said.
This podcast led me to research further . I found that 1.2 million people affected with the HIV virus in Uganda and 150,000 are children. 1.2 million children have been orphaned because of the disease. One insight is that AIDS strips families of their assets and income earners further impoverishing the poor. I also discovered that poor housholds coping with members who are sick from HIV or AIDS were reducing spending on necessities even further. The most likely expenses to be cut were clothing (21%), electricity (16%), and other services(9%). Falling incomes forced about 6% of households to reduce the amount they spent on food and almost half of the households reported having insufficient food at times. One last insight gained was one of the more unfortunate responses to a death in the poorer housholds is removing the children (especially girls) from school. Often school uniforms and fees become unaffordable for the families and the child's labor and income generating potential are required in the household.
As I think about the information I read on the Childhood Poverty Research and Policy site and can see a coorelation with the devastation HIVand AIDS causes and how it affects poor children. In that article it say that 10 million children under the age of 5 die every year from preventable diseases, HIV and AIDS are preventable. There are child-headed households which happens so many time when both parents die of AIDS leaving their children orphaned and fending for themselves and finally that poverty can pass from one generation to another. When children are taken out of school and not educated, their earning potential drops to a poverty level.
The podcast gave me knowledge that I can use to enlighten others as well as myself further when studying about the effects of poverty on young children.
References:
http://www.worldforumfoundation.org/wf/radio.php
http://www.avert.org/aids-uganda.htm
http://www.childhoodpoverty.org
This podcast led me to research further . I found that 1.2 million people affected with the HIV virus in Uganda and 150,000 are children. 1.2 million children have been orphaned because of the disease. One insight is that AIDS strips families of their assets and income earners further impoverishing the poor. I also discovered that poor housholds coping with members who are sick from HIV or AIDS were reducing spending on necessities even further. The most likely expenses to be cut were clothing (21%), electricity (16%), and other services(9%). Falling incomes forced about 6% of households to reduce the amount they spent on food and almost half of the households reported having insufficient food at times. One last insight gained was one of the more unfortunate responses to a death in the poorer housholds is removing the children (especially girls) from school. Often school uniforms and fees become unaffordable for the families and the child's labor and income generating potential are required in the household.
As I think about the information I read on the Childhood Poverty Research and Policy site and can see a coorelation with the devastation HIVand AIDS causes and how it affects poor children. In that article it say that 10 million children under the age of 5 die every year from preventable diseases, HIV and AIDS are preventable. There are child-headed households which happens so many time when both parents die of AIDS leaving their children orphaned and fending for themselves and finally that poverty can pass from one generation to another. When children are taken out of school and not educated, their earning potential drops to a poverty level.
The podcast gave me knowledge that I can use to enlighten others as well as myself further when studying about the effects of poverty on young children.
References:
http://www.worldforumfoundation.org/wf/radio.php
http://www.avert.org/aids-uganda.htm
http://www.childhoodpoverty.org
Thanks Stephanie
ReplyDeleteThe information regarding AIDS and the impact on families who are already poor was new for me. Your research reveals an aspect of poverty which could impact any of us at any time, anywhere in this world - a health crisis. President Obama says that significant health issues are one of the leading causes of bankrupcy in the U.S. It would be nice to see the U.S. spend more on poverty solutions, like preventive health care and health care coverage, as opposed to sinking money into wars. Since the U.S. spends about $700 billion on war, just imagine if we moved $2 billion of that money over to preventative healthcare in the U.S. and in other vulnerable countries, like Uganda.
You hear about the affects of Aids on poverty stricken children and their families African countries. It very sad to read how this epidemic is affecting these families. It so hard to comprehend the problems facing these families on a daily basics. I really enjoyed reading your post it was very insightful.
ReplyDeleteHi! Stephanie I really enjoyed reading your post I think its a shame that parents have to hide their children illness in order for them to atleast recieve adequate education.Poverty can affect anyone, I use to make atleast 5,000 thousand a month but when the economy started going down my finances suffered big time, but because I chose to go back to school I was able to get a pretty good job. I don't make what I use to but I'm making it and sometimes I wish I had the time to go to different countries or cultures and try to help out with their education field.
ReplyDelete