My International Contacts and Resources

                                                                        By Lisa Martin

I reached out to a few potential conversation partners. I have yet to actually hear from an early education professional in the Netherlands, though I received an initial response saying I would. My pen pal, Delfina Mitchell, Director of the Liberty Children’s Home in Belize, said that her schedule is extremely hectic, but she would try to answer any specific questions I posed to her. I asked her about the aspects of poverty that are the greatest challenge to her work, but she has not responded yet. I have vacationed in Belize and it is one of those beautiful places, where once you leave the main tourist attractions behind you are shocked by the poverty and despair in which some of the people live. “While Belize has achieved significant economic growth in recent years, its progress masks steep economic inequities. In addition to a monetary poverty rate that increased to 41.9% in 2009, there are great economic, spatial, and cultural inequalities” (UNICEF, 2011). It is also a country with a high incidence of violence. Liberty Children’s Home in Belize takes in young children who have been abandoned, abused, and stricken with HIV. Ms. Mitchell is very proud of the work they are doing, but they need more funding. You can visit their website at http://www.libertychildrenbelize.org/ and learn more about the program and make a donation.  

In her podcast, Delfina Mitchell talks about a “nine year old boy, Joseph, who came to them from an abusive home, where in addition to being abused himself, he witnessed the abuse of his siblings. As a result, he did not speak for over a year – a voluntary mute. Within weeks of being nurtured and cared for at Liberty Children’s Home Joseph began to talk” (World Forum Foundation, 2011). I am sure she has hundreds of other stories like this to tell as they continue to help children overcome their rough beginnings.

There seems to be correlations between lack of education and thus opportunity, and substance abuse and violence. Many will argue that these are the things that promote or cause poverty. Whereas, I would argue that it is economic inequality, and the failure of governments to provide safety nets and improve opportunities for their poorest citizens that cause poverty. If the parents had the opportunity to go to school and learn a marketable skill and get a job, they would be less likely to turn to drugs or alcohol, without the addiction they would not resort to violence; without the sense of hopeless despair and anger, they would not resort to abuse. I know I sound like a bleeding heart Liberal government can and should fix everything. I am not and I do not believe government can or should do all things. However, I believe no country, the United States included, can eradicate poverty without a meaningful and focused initiative by the government.

United Nations Children’s Fund. (2012, April, 11^th). Draft country programme document –Belize. Retrieved November 14, 2012 from  http://www.unicef.org/about/execboard/files/2012-PL14-CPD_BELIZE-FINAL_ODS.pdf

World Forum Foundation. (2011). Episode 3: Delfina Mitchell. Retrieved November 2, 2012 from http://worldforumfoundation.org/wf/wp/current-work/world-forum-radio/