I have experienced
more than one stressor, but I will pick the one that I remember the most about
and that is “Natural Disaster”. I will
never forget I was in the 5th grade it was an “Ice Storm” that
lasted about 3 days. It was cold, dark, and just downright miserable. I was so
uncomfortable. We did not have any lights or water for over a week! I had no
idea how important water and lights were until we did not have them anymore.
My parents did all in their will to
satisfy me and make me comfortable. I was not trying to hear any of it or
appreciate it. I just wanted some lights and a nice warm bath. I could not get
use to the oil lamps or the jugs of water being boiled. Sorry guys, I was only
in 5th grade!
I dreaded the night time, because
that meant we had to light the oil lamps. They were so much trouble and the
mood was so depressing. I would just lie on the couch or in my bed for hours at
a time until I feel asleep. It seemed morning would never come, but it
eventually did. The inconvenience did not seem to bother my parents much. My
mom tried to cook things that were easy to prepare in these circumstances. My
dad seemed to continue with his usual business. I was the only one who wanted
to disappear.
The country I chose: South Africa
One of the
stressors in South Africa is child poverty.
In South Africa 66% of children are growing up in poverty. The households in which these children live
are often too poor to afford to buy even the most basic necessities. Poverty
has been one of South Africa’s greatest challenges and is a cycle that can’t
seem to be broken as generations after generation remain in poverty once at
that point. The poverty rate in South Africa is the highest among children from
newborns to 4 years old and gets slightly lower in percentage as the age of the
children get older.
In South Africa,
poverty means more than just a lack of money. The poverty that these children
live in affects their access to schools, health care, and their chance of
growing up in an environment that could help them possibly break free of the
poverty. Most of the children in South Africa who are living in poverty are malnourished
from birth. This lack of nutritious food affects the physical and mental growth
and development of the children, as well as their overall health. A lack of
access to clean water and adequate sanitation methods also leads to health
problems amongst this group. Diseases are spread quickly and easily when they
are caught, especially amongst children in South Africa.
Now my view:
As I research on South Africa, I now
know how blessed I was doing the “Ice Storm”. The children in Africa are living
like this on a daily basis. They are even getting sick, because their water is
not safe/clean. It does not seem South Africa will be coming out of this poverty
anytime soon. Even though I was already grateful, I am even more grateful now.
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