EDUCATION - one of the components of a better future for the children!
|
|
Education - an African Orphans’ shattered Dream: 1 dollar could make a difference…
In developed countries education is costly and mostly provided by governments, not ignoring the contribution from parents. Unlike developed countries, African governments do not provide public goods such as health and education. In Africa, family members especially the biological parents represent the social safety net of children and are expected to pay for their children’s education and needs. Despite the low cost of education in most African countries, a number of families are not able to send or keep their children in school because of poverty. Even daily food is still a major concern. I would emphasize that in that region of the world, the propensity to have more than 4 or 5 children is common in the rural areas and culturally meaningful. Those who are not educated are more likely to have many children. Because of the importance on number of children in the households, the severity of poverty and the lack of support from governments; parents are not able to keep all their children at school and have to make a choice on who receives an education.
Among the vulnerable children, the orphans, i.e., the children who have lost one or both of their biological parents before they reach 18 years old, are particularly at risk. Indeed, in many African countries, because of lacking just 1 dollar some orphans would be sent out from school and won’t ever be able to get back in. Some of those orphans describe the hope of an education as an unattainable luxury, a “shattered dream” even though 1 or 2 dollars would have changed that dream into reality! These are some statements from African orphans: “When it comes to education, time is our first enemy. Time ran so fast that we could not find 1 dollar to pay our school fee in order to not be chased out of school”. “The day my dad passed away I understood hereafter that my dreams are gone…that I will not be able to see my school friends again. Being an orphan child means a school orphan… My stars stopped shining leaving just some vague memory from my time at school” “I needed 1 dollar to afford the last part of my school fee. Time ran fast and I could not find it. I accept my situation because it is a matter of fate inasmuch as I did not decide the death of my parents”.
Just 1 dollar means a lot for putting people and generations on their feet. The lack of education helps reproduce the poverty trap from generation to generation. As we grow we can decide where to live, which school to go to and which career to develop. The things we do not choose are where we are born, our parents and their economic conditions, i.e. You and I could be in the same situations as those orphans. For that reason, let’s stand up together and help provide for the education of African orphans’. Together we are strong!
Thank you for embarking into this rewarding journey with us.
Dr. Georges Danhoundo
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada
In developed countries education is costly and mostly provided by governments, not ignoring the contribution from parents. Unlike developed countries, African governments do not provide public goods such as health and education. In Africa, family members especially the biological parents represent the social safety net of children and are expected to pay for their children’s education and needs. Despite the low cost of education in most African countries, a number of families are not able to send or keep their children in school because of poverty. Even daily food is still a major concern. I would emphasize that in that region of the world, the propensity to have more than 4 or 5 children is common in the rural areas and culturally meaningful. Those who are not educated are more likely to have many children. Because of the importance on number of children in the households, the severity of poverty and the lack of support from governments; parents are not able to keep all their children at school and have to make a choice on who receives an education.
Among the vulnerable children, the orphans, i.e., the children who have lost one or both of their biological parents before they reach 18 years old, are particularly at risk. Indeed, in many African countries, because of lacking just 1 dollar some orphans would be sent out from school and won’t ever be able to get back in. Some of those orphans describe the hope of an education as an unattainable luxury, a “shattered dream” even though 1 or 2 dollars would have changed that dream into reality! These are some statements from African orphans: “When it comes to education, time is our first enemy. Time ran so fast that we could not find 1 dollar to pay our school fee in order to not be chased out of school”. “The day my dad passed away I understood hereafter that my dreams are gone…that I will not be able to see my school friends again. Being an orphan child means a school orphan… My stars stopped shining leaving just some vague memory from my time at school” “I needed 1 dollar to afford the last part of my school fee. Time ran fast and I could not find it. I accept my situation because it is a matter of fate inasmuch as I did not decide the death of my parents”.
Just 1 dollar means a lot for putting people and generations on their feet. The lack of education helps reproduce the poverty trap from generation to generation. As we grow we can decide where to live, which school to go to and which career to develop. The things we do not choose are where we are born, our parents and their economic conditions, i.e. You and I could be in the same situations as those orphans. For that reason, let’s stand up together and help provide for the education of African orphans’. Together we are strong!
Thank you for embarking into this rewarding journey with us.
Dr. Georges Danhoundo
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada