Namibia is a country in southern Africa. It shares boarders with Zambia and Angola to the north, Botswana to the east, and South Africa to the south and west.
Namibia is a
middle-income country where the gap in the income between people who are rich
and poor is one of the most noticeable in the world. The poorest households are
those headed by women, which amount to about 43 per cent of all households in
rural areas and are more likely to be dependent on subsistence agriculture. Poverty
is worsened by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Cases of HIV/AIDS rates are among the
highest in the region and the epidemic remains a major threat to the nation’s
economy and human resources.
Namibia is
one of the wealthiest countries in Africa, but half the population lives below
the poverty line. Children are more likely to be in poverty than
adults. One in three children in Namibia grows up in households that are poor.Many Namibians live off extremely low wages or by subsistence farming, food is often inadequate for families. Poverty
has long-lasting impact on the lives and development of children in Namibia,
especially when it comes to their health and education. If poverty is not
addressed at an early age it will continue to be passed on from generation to generation
to generation. (Child Poverty in Namibia, 2012)
Many of Namibia's children are not reaching their developmental potential due to poor health and nutrition, and poor sanitation facilitates.Poor children are two times more likely than
non-poor children to have stunted growth, iron deficiency, and severe asthma.Integrated interventions for children between the
ages of 0 and 8 years are effective in breaking cycles of
poverty and violence, reduce malnutrition, and enhance school readiness. This intervention
includes health care, social protection and welfare, early stimulation and
positive parenting, as well as preschool education. (Child Poverty in Namibia, 2012)
Namibia’s children may be separated from their
parents because parents have to leave home to find employment in other parts of
the country. Many children live on their own and beg for money and food to
survive. Namibia is a young country where 35% of the population is under 14.
My Perspective
No matter how poverty is defined, it can be agreed
that it is an issue that requires everyone’s attention. There are many factors that
can affect childhood poverty including, where you live, your parents, and the
economy. Childhood poverty can have a profound affect on children's future and we must do all that we can to help families that are in need. We can volunteer our time with charities and organizations that provide assistance to children who are living in poverty in this country and around the world.
References
Child Poverty in Namibia. (2012, November 1).
Retrieved November 13, 2015, from http://www.unicef.org/socialpolicy/files/Namibia_Child_Poverty_Report.pdf
Anita
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your information regarding to the poverty in Namibia. No country is exempt from poverty. However, there are many African countries that experience poverty. I am wondering if their geographical location plays into it. I know that there are many natural disasters which could impair their natural resources, agricultural growth of both crops and livestock. I would think that devastated areas would need loose their crops, livestock, and business and need to rebuild and regroup time and time again. What do you think?