Superintendent’s Chat

Richard McClements, Shonto Preparatory School

One of the wonderful traditions of Thanksgiving is that families sit around the table and each member expresses his or her gratitude for the richness that our lives here in America provides us. Far more of us would be even more grateful if we only knew how good life is for even the poorest American. I want our children to say a blessing of thanks as their turn comes at the table and reflect back upon what you are about to read. Children in Third World Countries: much of South America, Africa, parts of Asia, and a few nations in Europe, know little more than horror and brutal conditions. I hope you will explain to your parents and relatives some of what you are now about to read.

The citations are listed.

http://www.utdallas.edu/~shaila/narrativ.htm

Thousands of children are entering labor force competing with adults

In recent age, the most important problem children of the third world countries are facing is, they have been used intensively in labor force where they compete with adults. According to UNESCO "Child labor in today’s world is overwhelmingly concentrated in three economic sectors - agriculture, the so called "urban informal" sector and domestic service. (UNESCO COURIER). Today, as in the past, most of the world’s working children is employed in agriculture. The country dwellers are getting more involved to work for other people, because they have either no land of their own nor do they have large family to support. Unfortunately, in many developing countries, poor farm workers have no asset, so when they need to borrow money for medicine, a funeral or other emergencies, they have to mortgage their labor. This practice is common in Pakistan and Bangladesh as well. In third world countries, children work as long and hard as their parents just to insure family survival do. Besides these, with the modernization of Agricultural Technology, these children are also using dangerous machinery and chemicals. Neither children nor their family are taught how to handle the hazardous insecticides, herbicides and widely used machinery and product. The accident rates among the children as agricultural workers are increasing and are becoming a great concern. UNESCO specified the problem by stating that "The rates of child mortality, illness, malnutrition, disability and illiteracy are almost everywhere substantially higher in rural than in urban areas. (UNESCO COURIER).

The informal sector is particularly prominent and large in urban areas. The informal sector is generally used to specify the small-unregistered enterprises those are exempted from or not covered by a regulations governing larger business. In most developing countries it is expanding rapidly. Children of these third world countries are getting involved in these sectors with works like construction, food services, breaking bricks and batteries. These children are also engaged in different industries. Some of these occupations are among the most dangerous. Some city children work on their own. For instance, they practice street trades such as hawking, shining shoes, washing cars, even prostitution. Many countries and cities have laws to prohibit "Child Labor" but they failed to enforce it. For example, "Pakistan has recently passed laws greatly limiting child labor and indentured servitude-but these laws are universally ignored and some 11 million children aged 4 to 14 keep that country’s factories operating, often working in brutal and squalid condition. Pakistan has a huge brick industry that employs thousands of bond laborers to make clay bricks by baking them in the sun. The laborers include woman and children. In places such as Turkey, Pakistan and Bangladesh, where thousands of child labors are used in Textile industry. The estimates of children working in Bangladesh Garment Factories range from 8,000 to 40,000. These children usually work up to 10 to 12 hours a day. The laborers usually begin at about age 5 or 6 in the informal sector and are considered children until they are 14 years old. In the factories' children usually begin to work at about age 8. Children earn approximately 500 Taka per month. ($1 = 43.00 Taka). This means that the children earn an average about $12.50 per month. These children do not always receive their salaries on a normal basis. They have to wait months at a time. In informal sectors they work for themselves, without a boss. In many cases, children who work for themselves have to continue working. If children get sick or hurt while working in a factory, they are then fired. This is more dangerous because at that time children start doing worse jobs such as, breaking bricks or batteries, prostitution or scavenging for oil. Many of the big American mea-corporations have been accused of using child labor, including big snicker and toy companies. Although Levi and the GAP have signed agreements saying that they will not use child labor. Reebok is making "child labor free soccer balls" but then the problem is that the children of the poor countries would then be out of job. As a result, it would be very hard for them to survive. The good news is that recent programs of Levi are much optimistic where Levi Strauss worked with two contracts to send under aged child worker to school, with the understanding that they would be offered continued schooling or work at the legal age of 14.

Children in some of the third world countries work as domestic servants. They may be the most exploited of all and most difficult to protect, particularly if they live in the homes of their employers. They are fully dependent on their employers. Poor families can not provide their children with proper meals and education, so they send their children to work as a servant in the house of rich people. These poor children do heavy household works only for food and a small amount of money. Sometimes the poor parents place these children with relatives or acquaintances on the understanding that the latter will support and educate the child in return for its labor. Some parents simply sell their children into bondage for cash. This situation is particularly prominent in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. According to Los Angeles Time, in West Africa, there is a booming trade in children soul as domestic servants. In Latin America, false adoption exists in which poor children are adopted into families to serve as maids and servants without pay other than their food.

These poor children cannot afford to go to school

In poor countries children work not just because they are poor, but also because they do not have access to affordable school. For the children, school or work is not a choice because sometime children are the only income earners in their family. Some countries are trying to change these circumstances by considering it an important issue and by discussing international trade. For example in Bangladesh, an agreement was considered under which children younger than 14 will be fired from Bangladeshi Garments factories by the end of October, given stipend to pay for school and possibly provided with after school work. If these children were fired from the factory then they would go to school, but then there would be no one to work for their families. In another program, the garment manufacturer who faces the threat of US led boycott that could ruin their 1.2 billion a year trade, agreed with the United Nation Children’s Fund to build about 300 primary schools for garment workers u nder 14 years old. At a cost that may reach $7,36,000. To help compensate for their lost wages, children will receive a monthly stipend of $7.50. These children need more than boycott. They need programs that will help build school and combined schools with stipend or income generating work. Children there want to study instead of doing hard labor. Asiya, a 12 year old garment worker in Bangladesh, said "I do not like the work-- I would prefer go to school."

Some times lack of family support in these countries causes children to leave school to work. Children are encouraged to work more than to go to school. Poor people in those countries are illiterate. This illiteracy makes these poor people ignorant about precious value of education. So rather than spending money and time to send their children to school, they prefer to engage them with work. For example, in Bangladesh, the poor due to illiteracy are incapable of grasping evil consequences of large families. The poverty of the nation lies in the root of high birth rate. It becomes hard for them to maintain education expenses for each child of the families. Four years ago Bangladesh made primary school compulsory but they failed to provide basic education for their children, as it does not have enough teacher or school buildings. Moreover, Parents struggling to make ends meet also say that expenses for clothes, books, extra tutoring and the light make ‘free’ school a burden-some exp ense.

The third reason of misery that the children of the Third World countries are facing is that these children are being exploited in various inhumane ways. The women of these countries are deprived from education, and health care. However, empowering these women with education and health programs is the basic key to meeting Third World population problem. If the population problems in most of the Third World countries are solved it would ultimately stable their economy and would bring good to their children. If the women are properly taken care of at the time of pregnancy, the possibility of giving birth of ill health children will decrease. Moreover if these women get proper education, then they would understand how to take care of children and the importance of keeping their good health. This will ultimately decrease the mortality rate of children. Beside this, in these countries additional health care program is necessary. The people will then learn more about health care faciliti es. They will know the importance of family planning then the people will able to make their own reproductive decisions in moderate way that will lower the poverty level. If these steps are properly taken then it would improve the economic condition of these countries and according to Grand, a respective representative of UNESCO, who said a country, can do incredible things with a small amount of money as long as the economy holds together. When a country's economy starts having trouble, the children is one who suffers the most.

Tragic life story of these helpless children

The most tragic exploitation of children in the third world countries occurred when the children are smuggled to gulf countries to use them for the camel races. The hundreds of children of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Tonga and Malaysia are smuggled to Dubai, Abu Dhabi and other Gulf countries to ride in Camel race for the amusement of local Sheiks. Without any hesitation, they (Sheiks) used the children for the races, young children are tied to the camels. Their terrified wails, screams and kicks frighten the camel and make them run faster." The poor parents of the children sell them to agents of the Sheiks for $335 to $660. Sometimes the parents are told that the will be educated in English and will do odd jobs like caring for camels. In return, the parents only receive $25 monthly. Young, light children under 10 years of age are used for these camel races. Children over 10 years of age are considered to be too old and they are used to look after the camels. Half a dozen In dian children were rescued by Indian Police Panascope described these children’s horrifying experience in Gulf countries by stating that they were whipped and given electric shocks before mounting the camels. Some are injured and maimed in the races and given cash compensation. In recent year the government of these countries are becoming careful to stop this outrageous trade. But they are facing difficulties to resolve this problem because poverty stricken parents and relatives collude with child traders. These child traders are hired by Sheiks in exchange of dollar $1200 per child. If any one wants to rescue these children the Sheiks demand money for breach of contract. The good news is the immigrant authorities have been alerted to check the antecedent of all young children going to Gulf.

In conclusion we can say that the children are the best and the most abundant human resources we have. But one third of those children are victims of evil consequences of poverty, which in every step of their lives bring sorrow and disaster. It is our responsibility to serve these children to enjoy their rights. To have a decent, secure and fruitful life is their right not a privilege. They obviously deserve it because future of world depends on these children. If we fail to guide these children properly and do not ensure their rights, then the world in the future will be a place of angry belligerent persons. If every one of us promises to help these children to have their rights, in the long run the world will be a beautiful place to live. In my opinion, as a human being we are obligated to secure such a world for our future generation.

http://www.projectunderwear.com/home.html

THE HYGIENE ASPECT

Unfortunately, the children of Third World Countries do not have the hygienic education that is found in western civilization. The kids play near filthy and rabid animals, livestock, chickens, monkeys, garbage, and animal waste. Because these children have no playground equipment, they climb on monuments, statues, sewage pipes, trucks, temples, and whatever they can get their hands on. All the while, during their play, they have no underwear. It is common to see children urinating and expelling feces wherever and whenever the need occurs. Dressed in rags and often times without shoes, one may conclude that these kids need clothes. True. However, t-shirts do not prevent illnesses as effectively as a simple pair of clean, cotton underwear. It makes sense. The fundamental of good health is good hygiene. The cleaner you are, the less likely you are to pick up any diseases. Therefore, each child that Project Underwear reaches will receive two pairs of underpants: one to wear and one to wash. Hopefully, these children will become aware that they must keep themselves clean, learn the importance of good hygiene, and continue wearing clean underwear.