Looking back, I was about 12 or 13 when I started becoming aware of the world. I started to realise that not all countries offered its people the same things; the world seemed enormous and riddled with challenges. What could I possibly do?
The Year 7 students at Laval Junior High in Canada have an idea. Back in October 2009 they started a project called Learners without Borders, supported by Social Studies teacher Angela Kallianiotis,
Initially, it was just about establishing a connection with students of a similar age in a very different part of the world – the Futures Leaders School in Uganda. But, it soon became more than that, as students realised how much they had in common.‘We are human beings with the same feelings and needs.’ said one student, Christos.
As the emails went back and forth, the kids at Laval were increasingly saddened by what they learned. ‘I was surprised to learn children our age get taken away by the LRA (Lord’s Resistance Army) to fight in a useless war...’ said Tina Zouboulakis.
So, they decided to do something about it. The kids began fundraising in order to improve the lives of their new friends; one the highlights was enabling them to have a Christmas party. However, it didn’t seem enough.
After some brainstorming, they hit upon an idea that would allow the community in Uganda to not simply rely on isolated fundraising events, but support themselves through creativity. Arrangements were made for an instructor to come into Future Leaders School and teach the pupils how to make jewelry from recycled paper.
Kajjansi beads were born.
Once the Kajjansi beads are finished, they are shipped to Canada, where the Laval students promote and sell them.
The project, dubbed ‘Helping Hands’ has been an enormous success. As one of the students testified, ‘...in less than two months we sold $8000 worth of products.’ Now, this small Ugandan community has a sustainable income, and local women have become involved; for the first time in their lives, they are earning a wage.
Head of Future Leaders School, Pastor Hosea, speaks happily of the difference Learners Without Borders has made - ‘Music, dance and drama have been introduced in our school...’ His students are equally grateful for the difference it has made, expressing hope the partnership will continue.
The students are increasingly aware that they are not just national, but global citizens. Engaging in a business partnership like this promotes a level of equality and respect that is all too often absent in fundraising events.
The kids at Laval are a step ahead. They realise that you do not have to travel to somewhere like Uganda to feel affected by what happens there, or to do something about it. With modern tools like the internet for quick effortless communication, distance is not an excuse.
“Who said children couldn’t do anything? Who said adults are the only ones able to control the situation? “ Veronica Mongiardo and her peers are right to be indignant, because they know exactly how much young people can achieve when given the opportunity.
I’ve been starting to notice one of the more striking things about the campaigns surrounding the Millennium Development Goals; and that is, the emphasis on preventable deaths with simple solutions. Fighting poverty as a whole is a multi faceted task, but when you break it down into the eight millennium development goals, and then break those down further into small grassroots operations, you can see how many of the solutions to big problems are, and must be, simpler than you might imagine.
This video and accompanying background brief from Save the Children, offers an open, frank analysis of the situation regarding child mortality (MDG4). Almost 9 million children under the age of 5 die every year, and yes it is beyond shocking that this occurs, because they are preventable deaths.
In the UK, when a child dies in a hospital or because they had to be put on a waiting list for treatment, or simply couldn’t afford it, we are scandalized by the incompetence of the system. The media then berates the government for operating an ill funded system that has become complacent in saving lives.
The outrage comes from the value we place on every child’s life, and the fear that if your child should fall ill, they could be subjected to the same treatment. It is not the fault of one individual, but a failure of the system. If the treatment exists, then it should be readily available, particularly to children, because their welfare is our collective responsibility.
Save the Children outlines five elements to tackle child mortality, all of which need to be addressed at the MDG summit in September. Each country needs a national plan that is viable, and includes proven treatments for common problems like diarrhea. Most people in the UK have travelled abroad at some point and understand that diarrhea can be deadly if it is chronic or if you cannot rehydrate.
We also need to focus on nutrition. Again, the emphasis is on preventable deaths. There is enough food to go around, and so all the children who are dying of starvation are a consequence of poorly distributed resources. It is due to gender inequality in some cases. Girls are in certain cultures are more likely to be deprived of food, in order to feed the men in the family. This is something world leaders must address.
The fourth element that will improve child mortality, is holding governments to account for the systems in place. It is often because of corruption that food is unequally distributed. If we check the government, the government will be forced to check the systems. Which of course, costs money, but if leaders in the Global North give the money they initially pledged, this will not be a difficulty.
It is not a scientific miracle that is needed. We already know how to cure tuberculosis, we know how to treat malaria. The solutions just need to be better coordinated so that they reach the people who need it.
It is heartbreaking to hear of the death of a child, not only because it is someone’s son, daughter, brother or sister, but because they are innocent. They are entangled in a world of bureaucracy and systems before they can speak, and they die because of the consequences of policy failure. There is so much capacity to fix this, it simply needs to become a priority, to leaders, and to us normal folk.
This time a few years ago, when still a student and keen to do something adventurous in the long summer ahead, I decide to take a trip around South East Asia. Though a classic student route, it was the first time I had really been outside of Europe, so personally, it felt quite groundbreaking. Whilst I was getting excited and looking up all the possible places I could go, with little thought to time or money, it did come to my attention that I may need some extra vaccinations.
The doctor said I’d need to check what I’d already had as a child, and having no recollection or record myself, I did what any sensible soul would. I asked my mum.
She delved into a thick file, and to my relief pulled out a small slip of paper that detailed every vaccination I’d had, with dates and boosters. There was my problem solved.
For my mum, like the majority of people in the Global North, vaccinating your child is a standard procedure. Like teaching them to walk, because of course, we wish to give them the best possible chance at life.
Vaccination levels fell in the 1990’s, but thanks to renewed support, this year it has risen again to 85% of children vaccinated worldwide. As Bill Gates advocates, what is needed is the cooperation from numerous parties; global corporations, governments, NGOs and people on the ground. As the global market expands, investors will look more to the developing world, but their investments are at risk if the population is not able to uphold a project.
A good level of health in a population is vital if the society is going to rise out of poverty. If we want to eradicate poverty in a generation, we have to ensure that the next generation are strong enough to encourage economic growth, and reach their full potential as individuals. This cannot happen without the security of vaccinations.
Our vaccination system here is so ingrained, that I never even thought about it until I decided to travel. I had never considered that I would get meningitis, measles or tuberculosis, and it is one of many safety nets that has allowed me to pursue my goals without a second thought to my health. Yes I take it for granted, and I would like the millions of other children around the world to be able to as well.
Looking back, I was about 12 or 13 when I started becoming aware of the world. I started to realise that not all countries offered its people the same things; the world seemed enormous and riddled with challenges. What could I possibly do?
The kids at Laval are a step ahead. They realise that you do not have to travel to somewhere like Uganda to feel affected by what happens there, or to do something about it. With modern tools like the internet for quick effortless communication, distance is not an excuse.
