Poverty, as we all know, is one of the most pressing issues in today’s society. A child
born into poverty typically ends up becoming extremely poor when he or she
becomes an independent adult. Fortunately, nonprofit organizations like ChildFund
International have made it their moral duties to break this generational cycle
of poverty. The mission of this organization, in fact, is to “help deprived,
excluded and vulnerable children [across the world] have the capacity to
improve their lives ... [through education].”
The mission of this organization, to me, is very compelling.
I resided in a developing country for over sixteen years, and I’ve seen firsthand
the lethal effects of poverty. Although I haven’t felt it myself, I’ve
been to places where people struggle to make ends meet. The good thing, though,
is that more and more organizations are beginning to understand the
implications of this issue. Most of them are also beginning to understand that
something can be done to uplift those in poverty. Childfund International, for
example, tries to achieve this goal in a very remarkable way. This
child-centered organization could have chosen to provide only food, shelter and clothing for struggling children. But they know that these items are short-lived. This
organization, instead, makes high-quality education accessible to young children in rural areas. This, of course, is very complicated. Aside from expanding education in distant regions, this organization also makes it possible for children to reside in a conducive and less violent environment. In spite of this,
Childfund International is doing its best to assist children in need. They are
currently working in 24 countries, including the U.S.A, and they’ve made an
impact in each country. They’ve never been to my home country, and I’ve never
worked for them either; but I believe in them. This organization, from my point
of view, is capable of putting an end to extreme poverty.
Childfund
International was initially created in the 1930s to support orphans in war-torn
China. A few years later, they shifted their attention to children across the
globe. They’re currently serving children in Asia, the Americas, Africa, and
Europe. As it stands, they’ve successfully reached 10.5 million children across
these continents. They locate and assist these children by
renovating their schools, equipping their schools with clean water systems,
providing mosquito nets to them, and much more. A few years ago, a generous
donor “funded a project to construct four new classrooms and two latrines and
to provide new desks and teaching materials [in a Mozambique primary school].”
This is just one of the many things this organization has done and is still
doing to break the cycle of poverty.
This organization is unique, and
it’s worth spending money on. Their work is tremendous. Personally, I think
it’s imperative to place more attention on struggling children , and I’m sure you
also feel the same way. You can definitely make your mark by reaching out to
organizations like ChildFund International. You have nothing to worry about because they are one of the most transparent child-based organizations out
there. They, in fact, explicitly stated on their website exactly how they
disburse the money they get from “donors” and sponsors.
Poor adults, of course, must be taken care of as well; but, we all know how futile it will be if we choose to cater for older individuals and leave children behind. Most of these children are smart, agile and ready to do what they possibly can to escape poverty. We all have the power to hasten this process. All we have to do is support organizations like ChildFund International. Organizations like this are more than ready to assist these children during this challenging phase of their lives.
Victor Okedoyin
Poor adults, of course, must be taken care of as well; but, we all know how futile it will be if we choose to cater for older individuals and leave children behind. Most of these children are smart, agile and ready to do what they possibly can to escape poverty. We all have the power to hasten this process. All we have to do is support organizations like ChildFund International. Organizations like this are more than ready to assist these children during this challenging phase of their lives.
Victor Okedoyin
This post immediately caught my eye, as I too have touched on the issues surrounding poverty. I really enjoyed reading your charity pitch, and Childfund International has definitely left a positive impression on me. To start out, I appreciate your openness and first hand experience that you’ve described, as you “resided in a developing country for over sixteen years.” I can imagine that with this experience, you would not be supporting Childfund International if you did not fully support their goals and operations. One idea you touched on that I really liked was how Childfund International does not solely focus on providing just food, clothing, and shelter to the children who are struggling. An organization that is aware that these items could be short lived definitely shows me how they have a good idea of the effects that their efforts can have. One of the first topics that I remember covering in this class was how to make the most out of your philanthropic efforts, and after reading about disaster recovery, the idea of providing sustainable and lasting donations has taken on a new level of importance in my mind.
ReplyDeleteIn light of this idea, seeing that Childfund International also aims to make quality education readily available to children, and help them live in a “conducive and less violent environment”, was great to see. Also, learning that the organization is working in 24 different countries gives me insight on how it must be a larger organization than I had originally thought. I visited the organization’s website, and I learned about how you can also volunteer by starting your own fundraisers and attending one of their concerts. I have taken a liking to Childfund International, and am glad you chose to share your views.
I, too, appreciate you sharing your personal history growing up in a developing nation and witnessing the "lethal" effects of poverty. I think that often times poverty is viewed as a status that people arbitrarily get stuck in until they can generate wealth and emerge from it, however for many thousands or millions of people around the world it can mean the difference between life and death. That is why I also agree whole-heartedly with your assessment of Childfund International. Their mission of reducing and eliminating povetry through education is paramount in today's world. Education is certainly the most valuable tool one can be granted on the path to self-sufficiency. Furhtermore, technology not only facilitates learning but is an essential part of the education process to ensure success in an industrialized modern world. Granting these children with access to attend class and receive an education sets them up for the best opprtunity to escape the poverty cycle. But, like you said, their reach is limited (though it is far-reaching). Not having a presence in every country likely means that elsewhere in the world where their efforts are being appreciated and utilized, children are being denied the chance to become educated due to economic or social reasons. This must be addressed as we discuss the topic of education as an inalienable human right.
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