The International Herald Tribune: January 19, 2010 (Donald G. Mc Neil Jr.):

Poor nations desperately need flu vaccine. Rich countries have stocked so much in excess only to dump them to the poor nations. “There are now so much unused swine flu vaccines in the world that rich nations are trying to get rid of their surpluses. But the world’s poorest countries — some of them still facing the effects of the pandemic — are receiving very little of it.”

China: China said “poor nations need priority on climate funds.” This was meant for African countries and the least developed nations. China as the largest polluter of the world said that rich countries must be the leaders in carbon emission reduction and extend technical and financial assistance to the less developed countries to fight the issues on global warming.

Ethiopia: An American investment consultant, Jonathan Auerbach said in Addis Ababa February 11, 2010 that Ethiopia has no stock market which makes it difficult for foreign (American) investors to move funds for the country’s developing economy.

“You have got to make a decision on whether you need a capitalist or a socialist system,” Auerbach said, adding “Ethiopia is the only country in the world with a big population that does not have a stock-market…you need to have a stock market.”

Ethiopia’s main health concerns are diseases caused by poor sanitations and malnutrition. This situation is worsened by lack of professional manpower and health facilities. The graduates go to the west for better opportunities.

The Republic of Congo (in Central Africa), is one of the poorest countries in the world. It had its high levels of inflation in the ‘90s, civil uprising, continued armed conflict and fall in oil price which have broken down its economy.

A survey made by the International Red Cross revealed that 5,400,000 lives were lost due to war-related causes. Congo has the world’s deadliest conflicts ever recorded since World War II. People suffer from deadly diseases. They need nutrition, rehabilitation and health providers.

Another big problem is that women and young girls in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo are being sexually abused brutally. As of December 10, 2009, it was reported by the “International Rescue Committee” that “bodies of women and young girls have been used as battleground by armed groups waging war in Congo”. In 2009 alone thousands have been raped, attacked and kidnapped in North and South Kivu, still the situation is unsolved.

The protection of civilians must be the Top priority of the United Nation peacekeeping mission in Congo. MONUC as the mission is named is not providing the necessary protection to those women and other civilians. How can they neutralize conflicts when the United Nation is supporting the Congolese army in Kimia II against the rebel group? This operation started in 2009 and still ongoing. Would you believe that members of the Congolese army are also partakers of the acts of sexual abuse?

Where can we find peace? Only in the hearts of people willing to offer help and hope to people uprooted by conflict, war and oppression. The poor people need health care, shelter, safe water, sanitary facilities, healing and education.

They need you! Please extend your helping hands by donating for them through the Children of the Planet Trust. http://www.childrenoftheplanetcharity.com/contact-us/.

It does not follow that malnourishment is only identified to those short of daily nutrition necessary for the body to function well. It is also a term applied to those whose intake is in excess of what the body needs and it is called over-nutrition.

The world’s burden on malnutrition (that’s under-nutrition we are talking about here) is larger than those who have problems with over-nutrition. Anyway, they have more money to buy food that’s why they eat excessively.

Take a glimpse on these factors or causes that result to malnutrition (under- nutrition) worldwide.

• Scarcity of food and unhealthy food preparation
• Lack of education
• War and unstable political policies
• Poor/inadequate sanitation facilities
• Ineffective food distribution
• Economic devaluation
• Inadequate health services

These factors are prevalent in most poor countries of the world from small communities up to the regional level. In such cases malnutrition becomes a national risk that needs international intervention.

Malnutrition is the major cause of death among infants, children and teenagers in the poorest countries. Growing children need enough vitamins and minerals intake to prevent infections or diseases and sustain rapid growth and development. Many malnourished children may survive but there are eminent risks of stunted growth and lifelong illnesses.

What happens when children are malnourished?

• They are at risk of infections (like gastrointestinal).
• They have poor immune system and may suffer chronic diseases.
• They suffer anemia, weight loss, decreased muscle mass and general weakness.
• Poor growth followed by illnesses or diseases that may result to death.

What can you (we) do to prevent malnutrition?

In the community level, trainings and dissemination of information is important. For example, knowledge in production of the staple food can ensure continuous food supply. If the people can participate in the community projects they can learn how to solve family’s shortage and use their acquired skills and live a better life.

From the international level, providing low cost (or it must be free) vitamins and mineral supplements to those millions of deeply affected people in depressed communities of the world. Can we call the attention of the WHO?

The United Nation’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights of (1948) says that nutrition is a fundamental human right. It’s been 62 years since and still millions of children are dying of malnutrition.

The United Nation’s Millennium Summit in September 2000 clearly indicates in its 8 Millennium Development Goals as its Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger. It seems the world as a whole cannot do what has to be done; less than 5 years remain for the 8 MDG’s deadline; and still the number of children dying is increasing.

For us people who cannot do anything but wait, we can extend help to malnourished children of the world through your donations. “Children of the Planet Trust” will receive your kind donation and thank you in advance.

You can get in touch through our CONTACT FORM at this link: http://www.childrenoftheplanetcharity.com/contact-us/.

You can take a tour of the worst places in the world right here on this page.

• Dhavari in Mumbai, India

Almost half of the population of Bombay lives in slums. Dhavari houses the largest slum area in Asia with almost 600,000 people. People there engage in small industries (pottery, leather and plastic products and embroidery). The total income of Dhavari reaches a shocking high of 650 million dollars a year, but poor water supply and unsanitary facilities are major public health problems in the places.

• Kibera in Nairobi, Kenya

About one million people live on land filled with garbage. It is the largest slum in Africa. Only 20% gets electricity. There is no source of safe water. The people depend on the dam water which is also the source of certain diseases (cholera and typhoid). There is no available medical assistance from the government; that promotes the spread of the deadly AIDS. Cheap drugs and alcoholic drinks are peoples alternative to problems of unemployment, which results to more crimes and untimely pregnancies which results to abortion.

• Linfen, China

Have you been to the most polluted place in the world? Well one of them is in China’s coal region, Linfen. Poor visibility is the result of the thick dust and smoke. They breathe in polluted and poisonous air. The water from the river is rich with oil causing cancer to the residents. The trees around are equally sick and dry.

• Bassac Apartments, Cambodia

In the 1960s this 300 meter long Bassac apartments was built to provide low cost housing project for the poor. The legal occupants abandoned the place and served as a haven for some 2,500 refugees since 1979. The buildings are now in danger of collapsing due to age and crack on concrete walls caused by parasite plants. Are they waiting for the 2500 residents to be buried alive under the rubbles?

• Mogadishu, Somalia

This is a former port during the 17 years of conflict between opposing military camps since its government’s fall in 1991. Mogadishu is the most chaotic city in the world due to civil unrest and insurgencies causing so many children to be displaced and orphaned. A new federal government is taking over recently to control law and order.

As you see places like these, do you realize how lucky you are? We feel bad for those living there with all kinds of sickness and pollution. How terrible! We can stop hurting the earth. USSR and USA, you are not exempted! The rich countries are also rich with garbage and carbon emission.

Where poor nations are, there are children who need assistance. We are lucky that we are not in their shoes. Let’s be generous and give help for the education of the children in the poorest countries of the world. Donate to the “Children of the Planet Charity Trust” for their cause.

The Northwest Frontier Province in Pakistan suffered attacks on about 150 schools in recent years as the “Pakistani Taliban” continues to spread fear among the people especially the non-Muslim.

On September 1, 2004, militants took over the Beslan School in the town of Beslan, North Ossetia, Russia. The crisis left 334 hostages and 186 children dead. The school facilities were destroyed as a result of the battle between Russian security forces and the militants. There were rockets, heavy weapons, and a series of explosions that put the school in blazing fires. As of 2010 most angles of the tragedy remain unsolved.

Schools are favorite targets among other vital installations because by obstructing education terrorists can paralyze a generation, where people are placed in confusion and disarray. Bombing schools would cause fear among people who want to protect their children and prevent them from going to school. Education of children is the most powerful form of defense against treat to national security.

The entire world knows about this. In a country where there is conflict between the government and the militant groups, you can see poor people who would likely die poor without having any chance to break away from poverty.

Measures Needed for School Safety against Terrorism

• Awareness

School attacks are not things of the past. The reality that school children are very vulnerable must be the focus in planning for security in the national level at all times.

• Being Prepared is an Effective Defense

There was an incident in Baily, Colorado where hostages were taken in a school where one was killed. It was so ironic that SWAT team from the neighboring Jefferson County was summoned to deal with the hostage crisis.

• Show Deterrent Force

There must be visible, alert, trained and equipped security personnels in the vicinity of the schools ready to respond immediately. Their presence must be able to convince the attacker that there is no way they can harm innocent school children once they come.

• Timely Detection

Act like detectives who are vigilant and watchful. Attackers perform thorough inspection of their targets. They need photos or may do some sketching of your area. Human and surveillance cameras can help do the early detection.

All necessary precautions should be learned by the community, officials and school children in any way possible for them to grasp the idea that everybody should be vigilant all the time. A quiet period is when the enemies conduct recon and plan their horrible acts.

Indeed, when education is obstructed it results to economic damage. To prevent further blows on children’s education, there should be a strong political will to prioritize and allocate limited national budget on the school security, emergency plans and strategies to prevent them from terrorist attacks.

According to the UK-based “Consortium for Street Children”, there are approximately 100 million street children all over the world. The exact number of street children is impossible to figure out but it roughly runs by millions. Homeless children are largely visible in urban areas but you can also find them in all places and regions of least developed, developing, and the riches countries worldwide.

Children may have no other choice but to live on streets because of some reasons like;

• Poverty- they have no means of getting the basic needs like safe water, food, health care, clothes and shelter.
• War- dwelling on the streets is a post was stress reaction and for many children the streets can provide the solution.
• Family conflict or family breakdown is a strong factor why children run away from home and find comfort on other children or peers on the streets.
• Neglect and mistreatment- their home cannot provide them their needs and they feel unwanted and neglected. They get no parental supervision and love.
• Orphaned and abandoned- children have no place to go but on the streets unless the proper authorities attend to them.
• Physical and Sexual Abuse- in homes where one or both parents are alcoholic, or drug user, children are likely beaten inflicting both emotional and physical pain. They are also in danger of being sexually abused. They escape when they can no longer take the situations.
• They need to contribute to the family income.

The young, gentle and innocent mind of a child is not capable of handling severe pain and trauma that’s why they go on the streets to while away their tired emotions from hard experiences. Life on the streets has harmful effects on children.

• Poor education or no education at all
• Malnourishment- they get some food but not balanced diet and not nutritious
• Exposure to diseases- they do not have the capability to maintain hygiene
• Unstable lifestyle- they move from one place to another
• Subjected to exploitation, trafficking and sexual abuse
• Violence, undesirable groups are often related to street children
• Use of prohibited drugs- they resort to using drugs to escape the stress of daily problem

Somehow, somebody have to do something to ease the problem of street children to stop their endless treadmills on the streets.

• Prioritize initiative to reduce poverty
• Investments in social services like education and health
• Re-unite them with families or relatives
• Find them adoptive families or foster homes
• Humanitarian aid to support children

Given the right attention at the right time these children will be able to tell stories of hope and courage. Until when is the time that a street child can give you a clear and definite answer when asked; which way is your home?

We are accepting donations to help street children get an education to change the course of their lives. Children of the Planet Charity Trust supports programs for children’s education from early childhood to adolescence.

Donate now! Contact http://www.childrenoftheplanetcharity.com/contact-us/.

Some facts related to poverty:

• Almost half of the world’s population survives on less than $2.00 a day.
• Almost 1 billion people cannot even read a book.
• The world spends a great deal of money on weapons, while a very small part of that amount can put all children in schools.
• About 1 billion children live in poverty; without access to medical and other health services, safe drinking water, and without adequate shelter.

When you live in the richest countries of the world, there is inequality. The same is true when you live in the poorest nations. INEQUALITY is one major cause of poverty. The less privileged would likely get less access to health services, education and other services. They have less opportunity to represent themselves in public and political issues making it difficult to rise from poverty.

In contrast, if you are rich you earn the benefits from political and economic policies of the government. There are many areas where only the rich people get the benefits like financial bailouts and the social status accorded to them. It is the gap between the rich and the poor that makes poverty more visible. This is the condition when social problems come in such as violence and crimes.

Another cause of poverty around the world is CORRUPTION. It happens in all sectors of society; local and national governments, military, judiciary, and many areas of business.

There have been presidents ousted for charges of corruption like former President Abdurrahman Wahid of Indonesia and former President Jean- Bertrand Aristide of Haiti. Corruption is everywhere, in poor and rich countries. The United States Government is not exempted when accused of outsourcing many contracts without an open bid process. Where corruption is rampant, the poor citizens becomes poorer.

There are hundreds of results or effects of poverty which need to be addressed by all the concerned levels of society and governments.

• More health and social problems
• Drug use and abuse
• Shorter life expectancy
• High infant mortality rates
• Lack of Education
• Teenage birth rates are high
• Homicide, murder and other related crimes
• Children caught in family conflicts
• Poor innovation in society
• Less effort on waste management and recycling that contributes so much on global warming.

Poverty cannot be resolved alone by aids coming from foreign sources. It is how resources are put into the proper channels and how the officials run them. Inequality and corruption are the enemies that poor citizen have no force to defend themselves from. Will they forever keep silent and say nothing about their flight?

Donating for the poorest children can help them go to school and raise them from poverty. Donations are accepted here at “Children of the Planet Trust”. Kindly go to our Donate section and thank you in advance.

The Haiti Minister in Social Affairs Yves Christallin used the term abduction on this case because there was no authorization from the ministry for them to leave Haiti. They said they were trying to transfer the children to an orphanage in the Dominican Republic. The incident was argued by the sponsor church as a false arrest and they were making arrangements with the Haitians authorities for the release of the workers of the New Life Children’s Refuge.

Orphaned children in Haiti became easy subjects for human trafficking. It is sad to learn that there are people who have the stomach to take advantage of children trapped in situations like the chaos in Haiti.

The UNICEF and the Haitian authorities are making it sure that children with relatives alive are reunited with them. Laura Silsby, the leader of the arrested group said that it was her dream to build an orphanage for the welfare of Haiti’s children but now things turned around as if they were the perpetrators of the crime they wanted to prevent from happening to displaced children.

But isn’t it that charity workers are the ones who should know the proper channels of adoption and the legal ways of taking people out of a country? How could Laura Silsby say that? We will follow up on this event if there will be information available regarding this matter.

On the lighter side, orphaned children of Haiti have found a new haven in Canada. OPERATION STORK is Canada’s expedited adoption of Haitian children. Two hundred seventeen (217) children were cleared by the Haitian government to leave for Canada. Late January, sixty two (62) children 3 months to 17 years old were flown in to Canada to join others who were already with their adoptive families. Following flights are on February 3 and 6.

It was disclosed that all these children were undergoing the adoption process before the January 12 earthquake crumpled the country. They were the products of destructive hurricanes, social unrest and political violence in Haiti.

The Haitian government has become more concerned about child trafficking since the earthquake, because children were injured, separated from relatives, orphaned and unaccompanied which make them more vulnerable. They are at risks of being taken out of the country without knowing if they have their parents looking for them. They do not want these children to become domestic slaves of any kind. They want families to belong and care for them. They need to move on and outgrow the desperate life they went through.

It’s only a matter of concern….. a heart-felt concern and  you can reach out to them. They need a place to go home and live a normal life and be safe. They need to get over the trauma; they need food, water, shelter and medical supplies.

Most of all they need not be subjected to human trafficking.

Would you care donate for them? “Children of the Planet Charity Trust” is your partner in this endeavor.

Donate now and thank you.

They receive the pay which is not enough for their necessities, no way to save some money for their future. Instead of rising up from poverty they are getting down deeper into it.

Child labor is when a child under the age of 15 is working to earn for self support or to contribute to the family income compromising the child’s education and social growth.

Children Pay the High Price

We love bargain stuffs, candies and chocolates and wearing gears from a nice deal. Some people are not aware that these things and thousands more are products of child labor who are paid so little or nothing at all.

Recently, investigators found out that cocoa plantations in the Ivory Coast of Africa (a major source of the world’s chocolate products) are using child labor. They harvest cocoa beans using their tiny hands when they must be holding pencils to learn their ABCs. The sad part is not getting paid and ending up slaves without the power to get out of the situation.

It may sound something like; people encourage child labor and slavery (unconsciously) in order to have good bargains. Sweatshops are also major users of child labor. All sorts of products are made in sweatshops where children are abused. They are deprived of the normal life of children. They are short of all their basic needs and better future. They are not aware of their rights. They pay the high price of giving the world a good bargain…products of their labor.

Child Exploitation

Child labor and slavery is equated with child exploitation. When a child’s labor is used for one’s benefit the child is exploited. The very common forms of child exploitation are:

• Sexual abuse

• Kidnapping

• Prostitution of children

• Pornography

• Trafficking of children

• Or simply convincing an innocent child to submit willfully

There are rampant cases of commercial sexual exploitation of children where there is force and violence to do labor; they become sex slaves. They are sexually abused by adults and paid through a managing middleman and treated as a sex object for use to anyone who can pay.

A child is an easy subject of this crime because of the needs to have clothes, buy food, home and education where parents are incapable to provide. Family members (also parents) allow to those kinds of arrangements in behalf of the material benefits earned.

Causes of Exploitation of Children Causes differ depending on the environment, social and economic conditions in different countries.

• The World Wide Web – the growth of the internet has contributed to child exploitation through pornography.

• Violence in the family- alcohol or any kind of violence at home cause children to run away and become victims of exploitation.

• Poverty- children grow with the sense to help support the family or the need to earn for self support.

• Previous experience of sexual abuse- children who are physically and sexually abused in the past are in the danger of becoming exploited.

Will there be an end to child exploitation?

The youth are being exploited in a pace faster than legislations and rules are made and implemented. As long as poverty exists child labor and exploitation will be like an epidemic in a very sick society. The least we can do as simple citizen is helping avoid exploitation.

You can help by simply donating to “Children of the Planet Trust” so that these children can be saved.

But practically volunteering is offering service for welfare of others without any pay. A volunteer’s concern is to do good without expecting anything in return; giving without regard to pay and recognition. It is like an ethical standard and a common virtue among many cultures that an able person have moral obligation to extend help especially to those who are in urgent needs.

At a disaster stricken area, the number of dead people is often inevitably raised by the lost lives of volunteer workers. Many volunteers live to tell their stories on how they unselfishly committed themselves in service for others to live. One of them is a volunteer ironworker at the 9/11 ground zero. He is JOE PICURRO, a former freelance ironworker from New Jersey.

During the September 11 attacks at the World Trade Center almost 3000 people were killed and they are remembered in commemoration of that event. Thousands of rescue workers came at ground zero and some of them became sick after being contaminated. Joe showed up at ground zero after watching on TV how the towers fell to the ground. Knowing that policemen and firemen don’t have the tools to cut steel, he packed up some of his tools and drove more than 60 miles to get to New York.

There he was just like walking into hell according to Joe. They were putting body parts in large buckets (5-gallon capacity) and it made him felt so bad. He worked there for 28 days. After the first 14 days he went home, rested 8 days and returned to ground zero and worked for another 14 days. He was aware that there would be no place to sleep, so they slept on the floor of the American Express Building when they could, with all the dust and glasses.

He is now 42 years old (only) and Joe is dying of a lung disease acquired from his rescue work. His doctor said his lungs are so inflamed by so much tiny particles of glass and human bone that every breath he takes is that painful. Here is a part of Joe’s statement in an interview with Amy Goodman in Democracy Now.

“ Basically, the doctor said, you know, if he could get me another year or two, you know, he would—you know, he’d be surprised. And so, I’m on thirty-seven medications—well, actually thirty-nine; he put me on two more, you know, when I went to see him yesterday”.

“And, you know, most of my problems come from my lungs, but my whole body is racked with pain, all my joints. It’s just like a laundry list of problems. If it’s not one thing, it’s another, you know? Breathing, like I said, is the hardest. Like I said, I’m hooked up to oxygen now. My lungs have concrete and glass and human bone fragments in them. And, you know, so what happens is your lungs are the only organ that rejuvenate themselves, and mine, instead of growing viable lung tissue, they’re growing—it’s growing scar tissue. So it’s making my lungs get bigger and bigger. And when I take a deep breath, my lungs actually rub against my ribs, and it hurts”.

Joe has a short time left to live. His compensation from New York totals $500 a month after a battle in court for four years. He joined thousands of volunteers at ground zero from the first night working hand in hand with cops and all the other emergency units who responded. He was a volunteer without pay. Now he is dying and all he gets is $500 a month.

There are more like Joe who literally has eaten deadly toxins and particles who were at ground zero, now very sick and dying. But still there will always be volunteers who act on instinct to help others. Volunteers are the unsung heroes who rescue and save lives without reservations.

The earthquake has erased thousands of lives estimated at 200,000 and still counting as rubbles reveal more casualties according to Haitian government. People who were spared with their lives are left without livelihoods, with grief for their lost relatives who were either dead or still awaiting to be rescued. But each day that passes makes the hope of finding survivors dimmer.

UNICEF is Always There When Needed

The biggest obstacles during the distribution of aids were destroyed infrastructures. UNICEF (United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund) is working with different agencies on the ground to deliver the much needed supplies to those who need help.

Volunteers deliver bottled water from UNICEF to an orphanage in Tabarre where children sleep in tents. The hard-hit capital of Port-au-Prince is already getting safe water, food and other supplies for its severely affected people.

Young children are the most in need in this situation. Like those who lost relatives, orphaned, and separated from their families. The Sister of Mercy feeding center in the capital has many children whose parents did not return anymore after the earthquake. It seemed they left their children in the center to live.

So far, children under 5 who were left without relatives were given safe spaces by UNICEF and its partners. The children are registered and being traced to determine if they can be reunited (with their families) if their family or anyone known close to them survives. Caregivers to these children are having a hard time accommodating them in 2 small rooms because their big shelter went to the ground. Babies are taken care in a feeding center in Port-au-Prince. UNICEF has arranged nutrition support for children under 2 years of age in this earthquake hit zone.

More Issues on Children

About 900 or more children have emerged unaccompanied in the middle of this chaos and UNICEF has set up temporary centers to give them shelter, food and necessary care.

UNICEF Regional Communication Specialist Tamar Hahn was on the field with UNICEF Regional Child Protection Adviser Nadine Parrault. They were about to take the children from a tent hospital when the doctors advised them that two of them have wounds that needed to heal to prevent infection. The children there have developed a bonding and they need each other so they thought it was best for all of them to stay at the far end of the hospital tent where doctors and nurses rest to watch over them.

Authorities are at the same time fighting the problems of illegal adoption. The children who have lost their families are feared to be smuggled out of the country without going through the legal procedures. Adoption is a very humanitarian way of helping displaced children but there might be parents trying to find their lost children and children longing to locate their relatives.

UNICEF has ways of rescuing these children to avoid them from being taken out illegally by putting specialized staff at the airport that will take charge and process their documents.

Now is the perfect time for the whole world to join hands for the sake of the youth in Haiti who needs a long-term solution to their present difficulties. They need our donations.