We often go through life taking for granted the simple things in life such as having friends, family, and our health. When I was about 6 I found out that a very close friend of the family had contract the HIV/AIDS virus. It was weird hearing the news because my grandmother had form an organization in memory of a close friend, which promoted HIV/AIDS awareness, clinics, and many other things. I understood what caused the virus, the dangers of passing it on to others, and the likely hood that the virus would eventually be the cause of her death. The thing that weighed down my heart the most was the uncertainly of her daughter faint because she was one of few childhood friends that I had. I can remember sitting down with my mother to talk about the situation and she explained to me that Tonya had contracted the virus through her boyfriend which was a drug user (needle exchange) When I heard this news I valued to never intake drugs and make it my responsibility to educate those around me about the risk factors and consequence of using drugs. Within the 1st year the virus took out Keisha’s dad leaving her mother and grandmother to look after her. I knew Ms. Tonya would not be around for ever so I wanted something to remember her by so I wished and prayed for a gap like hers. About 2 months later I had a small gap! The following month Ms. Tonya passed. Keisha had to go stay with her grandma, resulting in us losing contact. I often wondered the effects of her coming up without her mother and father, my wondering ended about four years ago when my grandmother ran into her grandmother. She informed my grandmother that Keisha had been in and out of the juvenile system shortly after her mother’s death.
I chose to talk about poverty because it is something that effects people all over the world. The children that I work with live in poverty, people I grow up with lived in poverty, and I too lived in poverty as a child. I chose to look at the poverty in Africa, one of the poorest countries. What is being done to fight poverty in Africa? We are taking action here in the US by hosting various events to raise money to help fight poverty such as the annual walk with the Aga Khan Foundation U.S.A The walk takes place in cities throughout the US. The National Planning Commission in South Africa has come up with a national development plan that will end poverty in South Africa by 2030. The plan plans to improve the government’s existing plan and work for to reduce poverty by improving the unemployment rate.
References:
David Breen. (29 October). BRIEF: Annual walk at Lake Eola takes on poverty. McClatchy - Tribune Business News, Retrieved November 25, 2011, from ProQuest Newsstand. (Document ID: 2497682601).
The National Development Plan Will End Poverty in South Africa By 2030 - Really? [opinion]. (2011, November 15). AllAfrica.com (French Ed.), Retrieved November 21, 2011, from ProQuest Newsstand. (Document ID: 2511723921).
Temeka,
ReplyDeleteWhat a sad story regarding your friend. It is sad that the impact on her life was so devastating when she lost her parents, that she chose a lifestyle that did not allow her to be successful. The stressors in a child's life are certainly detrimental, particularly losing parents. I can only imagine the loss she must have felt.
I too had a friend who died from AIDS a few years ago. He had contracted the disease a few years before we began working together at Walmart. He was a great guy who was funny and smart. He had contracted the disease from a former partner in a homosexual relationship. I had left Walmart several years before he passed. He had been sick with pneumonia from a weakened immune system and it ultimately cause his death.
I chose poverty to write about on my blog and agree that the effects of poverty are overwhelming!
Dear Temeka,
ReplyDeleteI could sense the loss of your friend's parents and agree that the incident is a source of great stress. As a matter of fact, loss of parents and separation of any kind has been identified as a serious stress for any individual, unfortunately your friend couldn't be helped much. HIV/AIDS is a major killer in the world today and many children are fallen victims from loss of parents and so are left helpless without care and hope of a great future. I hope the government is able to create a center where victims like this may be helped to face life with courage and hope. I also spoke about poverty. Lack and need are major stressors, and can really impede growth. I pray that through the genuine efforts of government and their agencies, children who live below poverty line can receive some help to go through life successfully.
Thank you for sharing your story. While I have never experienced HIV/AIDS loss, I am familiar with children losing their parents at a young age. It is one of the tragedies in life that makes me speechless, especially the next stages of life for the children that involve going into the foster system.
ReplyDeleteThe issue of poverty also blows my mind because it seems if all of us contributed it would not be a problem. Thank you for highlighting what is taking place in Africa.