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By Prince Kelly O. Udebhulu.
I grew up in the village just as I sadly lost my biological father about 35 years ago inside my mid 40s of my age, thus, I understand quite clearly the differences as I often get this question anytime I talked with people who believed they have what are attainable in western nations in Africa where they live and work: "But there are poor communities and children in Europe and America, too? ". Yes, there are poor kids in western nations, no doubt. However, what passes for poverty in western nations is nothing compared to the life-and-death situations in African villages.
Let us Start with the basics, the poorest of the poorest child in western nations has the basic necessities of life, i.e., food, clean water, and cloth. No kid in western nations has to walk for miles or kilometers to get water. The poorest home in western nations has clean, running water in their house, and no child in western nations is in danger of dying from a water-borne disease. Even children from poor families are guaranteed basic medical treatment. They don't have to die from preventable diseases. On the other hand, countless numbers of children have died from easily preventable diseases for lack of medical facilities.
Of course western nation is not a paradise. western nations parents have to work--and they do work hard--to provide for their children. However, the level of prosperity in western nations is so high that 6-year old don't have to drop out of school to work for a living.
Having lived in western nations for years, I've seen some of the low-income communities. But never have I seen a child walk around naked, or go to school without shoes.
Unfortunately, in Africa, everything that cannot be allowed to happen to a child in western nations happens to children in Africa. They beg for food. They go to bed hungry. They starve to death. They drop out of school to fend for themselves.
Conclusively, Child poverty in western nations is basically about meeting a higher standard of living--a fight for better quality of food, education, environment, playground, etc. That is not what child poverty means in my village. The Africa I come from, child poverty means hunger, disease, illiteracy, abuse, and death.
However, there is hope. The hope lies in us African immigrants going back to help the villages we left behind. Play your Godly roles towards the poor.
Prince Kelly O. Udebhulu is a trained journalist from the AIU (USA), resides in Spain; a blogger and special correspondent to some news media internationally.
Twitter: @princekelly75
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