What's Next?

During the process of writing a passion blog post every week, i've learned a lot.I've gained a lot from the various research that i've done and it's opened my mind to a part of the world that is dire need of attention.It was startling to see "how the othe rhalf lives", and how for years and years, these children and the people in the Middle East and Africa have struggled one conflcit after another.

I've done research on education and poverty.Illness and sexual assaults.And every week that i presented such hard research and devastating stories,through my research I was aways meant with pictures of smiling children who somehow pushed through the pain in their lives and found time for laughter.It really made me realzie, as corny as it may sound, that we really have no reason to complain about long study hours or lack of sleep in college because in many countries children are fighting for their lives, dunkering under structures to escape bombs, or watching their parents die before their eyes.We will never truly know what real struggle is.

I think that's why i chose this topic for my passion blog this semester. People's rights are my passion, children's rights are my passion. I thought in the beginning of this semester that it would just be a good topic that would be different from what every other student was doing, but i was wrong. It truly did open my eyes and have me reconsider what I might want to do in the future.Hopefully i will volunteer in some capacity to improve the lives of children overseas, who knows? All i do know, is that when a passion takes hold of you, and when you truly feel that you need to make a difference, you have to step up and take action.Bystanders will never truly feel they have a purpose until they find a passion.

I do not foresee this particular blog continuing into next semester because of the fact that it seems like all has been said.I chose to end the blog with a positive story, and on a positive light, of a girl who made a difference for herself and other young girls, despite the many obstacles that she faced.I wanted to end on that note because I felt that it was important to highlight the good.It's like when someone is depressed, the worse thing they need is more darkness and sadness coming into their lives.And it would be counterproductive to what i envisioned for this blog, to have the last post be of something heartbreaking.Even in times of bad, there's always someone's whose willing to do something good.And many times we find this in the lives of children and young people, because they seem to have a more forgiving heart. By highlighting this teenage girl as i did in my last post, I hoped to bring some positivity into the blog and have the readers realize that in these war-torn countries, not everyone is letting the suffering get to them.I hope from my blog that I made someone more aware of what is going on overseas that we really do not hear about that often.And I hope that it influenced someone to go out and make a difference.

One Girl Can Make a Difference

There are those inspirational people in history who have risen in times of adversity.Automatically who comes to mind might be Martin Luther King Jr., Abraham Lincoln, Ghandi, or Rosa Parks. Different time periods, but they put their heart and soul into what they believed was their mission in life, to enact change in their environment.

In war torn countries and impoverished nations, many people are forced to be silent. They may disagree with the laws and the treatment of their people but, are too frightened by outside forces to stand up and make a difference.

Malala Yousafzai was and is, a phenomenal young women.Like many influential men and women in history, she could not simply stay back and watch as laws in her country were limited people from reaching their full potential.She was and is a hero, in many people's eyes.


Malala inspires me to make a difference in my society.She's an eighteen year old female who at the young age of 15, was shot in the head by the Taliban. She was shot in the head because she defied society's norms.The taliaban were attacking girls schools in her area, she did not believe that it was right for them to threaten her right, and of other girls, to attend school and get and education.She began blogging for BBC about her experiences and going onto various public platforms to speak out of girl's rights of education and advancement in society.She was so inspiring that she was awarded an International Children's Peace Prize in 2011.

Malala was getting various death threats at the time, but her family did not believe that it was anythingto be extremely worried about though it frightened them.

On October 9th, 2012 Malala Yousafzai was shot in the side of the head while on the school bus, by a Taliban gunman.Two other girls were injured in the attack.

Malala was not going to let adversity stop her from making the world a better place.She was not going to let this hold her down and stop her for good.Through coming out of a coma, and going through surgery, she has risen to be even more inspiring then she was before. She has continued to speak to the public for advancement of girl's rights and she even wrote an autobiography.Though she is still a target for the Taliban, nothing seems to stop her. Like the most inspiring people who have gone through history, she is one that will be remembered for her strength, for her compassion, and for her tenacity.She is a true inspiration.

Lost Generation

Every week when I am brainstorming new ideas for this blog I google the headline "children in war torn countries." Every week new stories are submitted onto the various pages of Google, and every week the pictures of young victims get harder and harder to look at. Many media outlets have been covering Syria for months now.Many child protection agencies are begging for people to give in some way, to help these children who are being forced to flee from that country and gain the title refugee.

Just as war vets speak of the flashbacks and the sounds and smells that will continue to haunt them, the same goes for the child refugees who are displaced from the very areas that caused them such anguish.The plight of Syria and it's refugees is being called the worst humanitarian crisis in the world today.Twelve million people have been affected by this more than all of Hurricane Katrina,the Haiti earthquake, and the Indian Ocean tsunami combined.Half of those affected are children.

More than a third of Syrian families are no longer living in their homes and one out of every three water treatment plants in Syria have been destroyed.This has caused an increase in diseases such as polio and measles.The children are the ones most affected because since hospitals are being destroyed, there are limited opportunities for immunizations.The hospitals that are still standing are running out of baby milk which is not a good situation when you've had over 37,000 Syrian babies born as refugees.

As once being the envy of the region, now the Syrian education system has fallen down the drain.They used to have literacy rates of ninety percent but since the conflict 500,000 children have been forced out of school with a school attendance rate of thirty percent, a 67 percent drop since before 2011(unicef). Many of the children have lost three years of schooling and are looking to lose more.Compare that to a school in the United States, and you can see how it will become near to impossible for these children to ever catch up.Many times school is a type of solace where children can escape from their problems at home, yet these children do not have the opportunities to go as there is a waiting list.

The children are fearful of human contact and jump at any noise that might be considered loud.Children as young as three years old are able to recognize the sounds of missiles and guns.There have been stories of children having to move and bury dead bodies-many of them parents or relatives.They are distrustful and show aggression towards the other children.Issues such as self harm and bed wetting are used as coping methods and have been big issues within certain refugee camps.

I could sit here and list problem after problem of that plague the Syrian refugee children but I think you got the idea. This is one humanitarian issue that many people have rallied together to do their part and help in some way, but the issue is just getting worse and worse.You see stories on the news of children drowning at sea trying to escape in boats loaded with people. You hear of malnourishment and the lack of supplies because there's just to much to fix all at once.The Syrian refugee children are being called "the lost generation." Their childhood will haunt them for the rest of their lives because that is the consequence of war.The children are usually the ones most affected.

There's No End to The Fight

Growing up in the South, the military has always been a major fixture in my life. I've grown up within two hours of two major military bases, and have known people who have served and are currently serving.Recently, a couple of close friends to me have received orders to be deployed to Afghanistan.Hearing this news from them, led to the idea for this weeks blog post.

Both of my friends who are in the armed forces are of age.They signed their name on the dotted line willing, knowing the dangers that could potentially come to them. Thousands of children in developing and conflict-ridden countries are in the same position but this time, they're not of age and  are being instructed to complete tasks that are extremely heinous.

Countries such as Yemen and Iraq have recruited young boys and girls, to take on the role as suicide bombers and lethal human weapons.But these are not the countries that I want to focus on today.There's a threat much more harmful  and unspeakable.It's name is recognizable to many countries.It name is ISIS. ISIS has recently become a main distributor and breeder of child soldiers.There was an analogy used by a NBC news journalist that really spoke to me,"instead of archery and merit badges of Cub Scouts, these boys learn how to clean, disassemble and shoot machine guns. While their peers in the U.S. build campfires, ISIS' diminutive devotees go from Quranic recitation drills to the front line of battle"(nbcnews). It's shocking, the numbers are staggering.Young boys are learning how to use AK-47's and are taught how to behead innocents, then forced to watch a beheading themselves.They're being called the new "Hitler Army". These young boys are brainwashed in order to ensure the militant group's longevity.Enlistment offices are set up in the cities and many children are dragged by their fathers who are also on the front lines, to join in on the fight.The leaders of ISIS envision a long war where eventually, these young children will become the next leaders.

Many of the boys are also drawn in by the big weapons and "cool" uniforms that the terrorists wear.They're easily drawn in to the limelight.Children are becoming executioners, shooting captives in the back of their heads in front of crowds.The Ashbal-or "Lion Cubs"-will see violence as a way of life and they seek pride in becoming jihadists.They are persuaded to carry the honor of fighting and dying all in the name of Islam.

Hundreds of youth camps are set up in these cities.There does not seem to be an end to the long fight with ISIS. Childhood is no longer a time of innocence, it's a time of destruction and hardship.To fight for one's country is one of the greatest honors in the United States.For Islamic children, it is a rite of passage.

What is Peace?

In past posts, I have chosen to write about uncommon issues that have become prevelant in these third-world countries dealing with the occurrence or aftermath of war.Todays post is going to be discussing a very harsh and scary issue that is rampant,child prostitution in Liberia.

I was reading many articles and stories about this problem and one caught my eye.It was about an eleven year old girl that the DailyBeast had featured an article about.I've decided to make every character,every person that I write about,anonymous.I've chosen to write them anonymously because these issues effect everyone in these areas.There's thousands of girls who never get to write about their life story and what theyve gone through,and in a way I feel like putting a name down would be impersonal.

This young girl was just eleven when she left home,away from her mother and three siblings.She felt like a burden to her single mother so she decided to escape and move in with an older friend.This older friend introduced her to the world of street prostitution.Her first experience left her for dead,bleeding on the streets outside a nightclub.But that first time didn't stop her from going back.She went back night after night,"hustling" on the streets, in order to support her mom and siblings at home.One time,she was forced to participate in sexual acts with a police officer after he helped her retrieve money from a guy who ran without payment.

This is just a way of life for thousands of young girls who are encouraged by family and peers to participate in these acts to support their families back home.There's no way to continue an education if there's no income by the parents,and infrequent meals are a common occurrence.For many,prostituion is more of a necessity.Though prostitution is illegal,the law is rarely enforced.These issues seem to have stem from many different things.One could be Liberia's civil war that ended over a decade ago.Young girls became "girlfriends" to men in different fighting factions as a way to secure food and other material items.With the increasing economic hardships,and a culture that does not value women,no wonder this issue has continued to increase in recent years.

There will never be a proper time to discuss these issues.These issues will not magically disappear. But the impact that they leave on people who read their stories are everlasting.It's hard to imagine an area that is so impoverished and aids-ridden and in such suffering,as Liberia.So many issues effect this area and it's children, that it is hard to just focus on one specifically.This is an area that is not currently battling with war but has in only a few years back.The aftermath has created a toil on its people,and the children are the one's facing the hardships the most.We can only hope that one day peace will finally come to Liberia's people.

Happily Ever After: True or False

TV in America glamorize weddings with three tiered cakes and overly expensive dresses,In the U.S. and many other countries, weddings are seen as a large celebrations and are one of the biggest events in a women's life.

In Syria, nine-year old Arwan was sold by her father for two thousand dollars to a 49-year old stranger.There wasn't an engagement or excitement.Just a little girl frightened to leave her family,left to endure years of sexual and physical abuse by a stranger.

The combination of extreme poverty,crime and unrest, has caused an environment that could be considered a breeding ground for child marriages in many Middle Eastern and African countries.With many families being in such excessive debt it's not uncommon for fathers to sell their daughters to older men for forgiveness of the family debt.Even in areas that normally would not practice child marriage, it is encouraged as a way to pay off debt and rid the family of burden.What could be considered even more revolting is the fact that many families participate in child marriage as a way to bring in extra income to the household.

In some countries, individuals practice an Islamic tradition called Siqueh, which are temporary marriages,These "temporary marriages" are just another name for child prostitution, where young girls are lured away from their homes into domestic and sexual slavery.As rape and sexual assault are rampant in these areas as well, many times girls have to return to their abusers and marry them, as a way to protect their families' honor.

The harmful effects that result in these marriages are not to be ignored.Since early marriage many times lead to early childbirth,it causes many maternal health complications along with mental stress.It increases the possibility of disease or tissue damage and complications during delivery.According to one report by UNICEF approximately 70,000 girls between the ages of 15-19 die each year during pregnancy or childbirth in these areas.Babies born to underage girls are 60 percent more likely to die before the age of one than babies born to women over the age of 19(unicef.org).

Since there are no laws in these countries that childhood marriages are deemed illegal, the act will just continue to increase.Millions of young girls will be thrust away from one potentially harmful environment to another.the chances of a promising future are not likely for girls who had to leave school in order to be married off to an older man.In fact, if the current trend continues 140 million girls will become child brides in the year 2020, just five years from now.The facts are ominous and the circumstances are dire.But as we've seen with every other issue that plagues these areas, no situations can improve if war continues and if the citizens are in a desperate state of mind.The happily ever after for these young girls is merely a fairy-tale.

A Dangerous Life for a Dangerous Price

                           

Elementary school.Middle school.High school.College.That is the primary educational plan for the average student living in the United States.Bombs, terrorists, armed assailants.Those are the primary struggles faced by the average student attempting an education in war-torn countries.In fact, over 40 million children in these areas are without the main source that can change the path of  terror that erupt in the countries.Nelson Mandela himself stated "Education is the greatest weapon in which we can the world."(warchild.org) In America more education means less children on the streets.In war torn countries more education could be the one factor that could mean life or death for a child.

But it's not just the threat of potential violence that could interrupt a child's chance of a safe and effective environment for an education.Since poverty plays such a big factor in the life of a child, it's not uncommon to have children infected with malaria and diarrhea that make it unable to attend school on a daily basis.With the lack of available healthcare they're usually affected long-term by crippling ailments from having to deal with such diseases at an early age.

There is an even bigger issue faced by the children that could change the course of a suitable education.Children many times, are the sole breadwinners of their family.Many children are forced into slavery, early marriage, or drug trade in order to provide for their families.More than 30 percent of children in Afghanistan are facing these types of struggles instead of being who they truly are, children.

I want to tell you a story. A story that could very well had been me or anyone else when we were younger, if not for the fact we live in the greatest country in the world.This story is about a twelve-year old old little boy living in Afghanistan.His name is Fawad Mohammadi.He is an orphan.Everyday instead of going to school, he is forced to work on the streets.He survives by bribing people for money while running out in the middle of the traffic filled streets.His father died living him alone.weary.and scared.He is aggressive, trying to sell incense to bystanders who turn away at his dirt stained face.he does this all with a price.“When I’m working on the street, I always look at what’s going on around me,” Mohammadi said. “I try to stay away from places that might be targets for bombers. And if I see someone who looks suspicious, I try to keep away from them(pri.org)".  Harsh lessons for such a young boy whose forced to become a man.

Education in America might be expensive but any attempt at an education in war-torn countries might as well be useless.The risks are immense and many times.More education could mean less kidnappings and less violence that are so rampant in these areas as it is.Many of these children carry mental scar, many, physical scars.The life of a twelve year old boy should be one filled with basketball games and fun with friends.But the lack of an education is breeding more violence and causing an increase of hardships that could be prevented.A dangerous life for a dangerous price.

Help Me.Please.

                                         

Pictured to the side is six-month old boy Ali Mohammed al-Tawaari,who is greatly malnourished.Born just before the war outbreak,Ali Mohammed al-Tawaari may not survive much longer.In fact, over sixteen-thousand children so far in this war-torn country of Yemen have been impacted by severe malnourishment.As many as 1.3 million are greatly at risk for the same issue.

Malnourishment has always been a main struggle for poor countries and when wars hit the area, the issue is just exacerbated. Yemen who normally imports 90 percent of its food but now it is unsafe for traders to import food and move it safely inside the country, which is leading to the surge of food prices and the inability for families to sufficiently feed their families.With a country that is the most impoverished in the Middle East and who has 60 percent of its population living under the poverty line, the sudden upsurged of childhood malnourishment is soon to be seen.

There are children searching for food through trash liter in the streets.Planes coming into the country to supply food aid have had to turn back due to the violence and time limits.There seems to be little relief in sight for these small children struggling amidst conflict.

Increased malnutrition has also caused the children to become susceptible to diseases such as measles and chronic diarrhea.Once the war started medical doctors had to be evacuated leaving the hospitals with inept workers where routine treatments and life-saving healthcare can become lethal. 

I realize that I may be listing fact after fact,I realize that not everyone is going to share the same passion that I feel,But,this blog has supplied me with a place to bring awareness to others.To be able to increase people's cultural awareness and face the fact that there are children constantly suffering,constantly living in fear of bombs falling down on their heads and their mothers and fathers torn from their arms. Being a Penn State student I may joke about being a broke college student but i'll never have to fear where my next meal will be, or if and when I might be executed.I'll never have to feel immense fear walking  building to building during my classes.

Here's a Fact,183 million dollars  is needed to meet the humanitarian aid for these children.Without these funds these children are faced with no hope for the future.

Hopefully, four years from now i'll cross that stage and take my diploma, looking back at how I finally got to this moment.Maybe I will be proud of the chances I took.Maybe I'll look out at the crowd and say "wow, I finally did it," But hopefully i'll never be satisfied.Hopefully I'll realize the steps i still need to take to improve the world and do my part.Maybe one day, children will stop suffering.Maybe just maybe, the world will become a better place.

Life is Short:Do Your Part

As i was thinking about ideas for the second post of this blog names of different countries were swarming in my head, should i focus on education or healthcare, or maybe infant mortality? I enjoy reading the comments that my classmates have posted about my posts thus far, because different inputs allow me to rethink my ideas and thoughts. This in turn,allowed me to come up with week's blog.

You might be thinking to yourself, how can i give my part and assist in helping these children? Well, there are a few ways to do this that does not involve thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours a week planning.Today I will be listing and discussing a few ideas that i have personally done and some others that may be useful in the future.

1. Notecards/ Letters

For my Senior project in high school I had a class of 8th grade students gather the week before Thanksgiving break and write letters that would(hopefully) be received by students overseas. The students wrote about what they were grateful for and what they hoped the children would be blessed with in the coming months.Some students wrote that thy hope the students would be able to become whoever they wanted to become, or the chance to travel the world. even the chance to escape terror and live in peace.As i was walking around the room and watching these students poor out their hearts on paper that may or may not be received by these children, it brought tears to my eyes. These students had only seen a short video and done some activities and they were already passionate about making an impact. Writing letters or becoming pen pals with a child living overseas in dangerous areas, can be the easiest and most selfless way or making a child's day or year, and doing your part in helping.

2.Fundraiser

Fundraising takes more time and effort but it can be a very successful venture.Many churches and schools have pasta fundraisers to raise money for a specific cause.This idea could certainly be duplicated and can bring in large amounts of funds to certain organizations such as UNICEF or Charity organization. If pasta is not your forte, baked goods or auctions could also be just as effective.

3.Care Packages

This is another form of charity that i have had experience in when doing my Senior Project. As extra credit that went towards their class, I had the eight grade students collect body care necessities such as toothpaste and soap to give to the Lutheran World Relief which sends different forms of care packages to impoverished nations, many times ripped by war. By donating and getting involved in the LWR(Lutheran World Relief), you have the choice to organize care packages that range from quilts to school supplies. They have some strict guidelines and you have to live close to a drop off station but this could be a good way to get large amounts of people involved at once and increase donations

4.Freerice.com

Many of you have probably had experience with this website.It's an extremely easy and quick way to give back for those who don't have much time to organize and plan. Free Rice is a website that has two goals "Provide education to everyone for free" and, "help end world hunger by providing rice to hungry people for free". You simply login in and create an account and then answer different trivia questions ranging from math to English. Each correct answer to a questions is equivalent to a certain amount of rice. Simple,yet just as effective to give back and increase your support.


I realize that many people do not have hours of time a week to give back, and it may not be on the top of your list of importance, but any small amount of support and volunteering can make a large difference in the end. We are only given one life to live and only a short amount of time to make the most out of it. Our life would be more fulfilling if we spent  more time helping others escape certain burdens in their lives, rather than increasing our burdens with materialistic matters.

Dangerous Profession:Life of Child Miners

For my first passion blog post I will be focusing on children living in the Democratic Republic of Congo, specifically those working as children miners.To paint a picture of the increased epidemic of child labor, the International Labor organization did a survey.In their findings, they found that with the estimated 215 child laborers,115 million work in extremely hazardous conditions.In the Democratic Republic of Congo, one of the most dangerous types of child labor is artisanal mining.Artisanal mining requires plucking of rocks from tunneling or loose surfaces which can lead to rock slides.

Some of the statistics found in doing the survey were staggering.19 percent of the children have witnessed another child dying a the mine site, while another 87 experience severe body pain.The problem with these young children working at the mine sites is the fact that as we all know, their bodies are continually maturing and developing.The extreme and heavy work can cause bone and muscle deformities and permanently damage the bones growth. The continual exposure to Uranium and Mercury are also extremely harmful to the developing child's brain.In fact,since children breathe more deeply and faster then adults, they breathe in more airborne pathogens as well.

These children are forced to work every day with little time for family,little to nor breaks, and no time for normal childhood activities.Many of these children are the sole bread winners for families.Many of the children miners have had to drop out of school because the lack of funds, or the inability to attend class because of constant illness.It is not by choice that these children work in these dangerous environments, but it is a sad way of life for at least 40 percent of the children.There is no regulations placed n these environments, so until a set of rules are put into place, children as young as 8 years of age will be thrust into these sites and left with no childhood or peace of mind.But regulations are simply not enough.There's a lot to be focused on in the DRC such as child soldiers,sexual assaults, and forced marriages. The.The epidemic of poverty and malnourishment are rampant and the leading cause to many of these issues.All these children want is a chance to leave put their dreams, the same way that many of us hope to accomplish.But with limited support and resources, and danger extremely prevalent, there is no chance for them unless we put in a concerted effort to a help them in any way possible.



"With one king gesture you can change a life.One person at a time you can change the world.One day at a time we can change everything." -Dr. Steven Maraboli