How a Child’s Development is affected by Stressors

As a child growing up, I can happily say that I was raised in a loving and caring environment with my mother who was a single parent.  There was no abuse, neglect or external factors that really affected me adversely in my mind, soul or body.   However, this was not the case for all those who I interacted with in my early years. 

In my neighbourhood when I was growing up, I have vivid memories of another single mother with a boy and girl.  This family was poor and lacked many of the everyday necessities that I took for granted.  However, we were children ranging from 6 to 8 years old, and I remember hours of play through an adjoining fence or talking and gesticulating through facing windows across the divide of that fence.  I never played in their house and they never visited mine, but we interacted across a fence that could not be breached.   Looking back, I am not sure whether the lack of resources frustrated their mother and whether as a result of this frustration she became angry with life in general.  However, the boy and girl were disciplined at regular intervals for infractions they may or may not have committed.   I had other friends in the neighbourhood, and we visited each other’s home and our parents interacted, and one could feel the love, trust and sense of security that emanated from these homes.   But what haunted me about the 2 children from across the divide was their general look of neglect and despair.  Their faces were always sad and at times, it was as if a fire within had died. 

How did they cope with the neglect and abuse – I do not know.  The times that we played together were fun and you would see the essence of childhood peeking through.  However, there was always the look of despondency.  I eventually moved from that house at the age of 10, but I do remember that as we grew older our interactions grew fewer.  I guess we were more aware that what differentiated us was not just a dividing fence, but our lives and how our respective parents raised us.  My last memories of the boy in particular, were that of a defiant and angry pre-teen.   He was loud and rough to his younger sister and I suppose bitter at the treatment meted by his mother.  I guess his response to the neglect and abuse was to become angry and abusive also.   

The region that I chose to look at in relation to the development of children and the impact of stressors is Africa.  Africa has always been in the limelight for varying reasons, including, famine, drought, disease and poverty.  The poverty experienced in Jamaica cannot compare to the poverty experienced in Africa. 

In a discourse by One Poor African on the Cozay Africa website, it was stated:

““I know poverty because poverty was there before I was born and it has become part of life like the blood through my veins. Poverty is not going empty for a single day and getting something to eat the next day. Poverty is going empty with no hope for the future. Poverty is getting nobody to feel your pain and poverty is when your dreams go in vain because nobody is there to help you. Poverty is watching your mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters die in pain and in sorrow just because they couldn't get something to eat. Poverty is hearing your grandmothers and grandfathers cry out to death to come take them because they are tired of this world. Poverty is watching your own children and grandchildren die in your arms but there is nothing you can do. Poverty is watching your children and grandchildren share tears in their deepest sleep. Poverty is suffering from HIV/AIDS and dying a shameful death but nobody seems to care".  " Poverty is when you hide your face and wish nobody could see you just because you feel less than a human being. Poverty is when you dream of bread and fish you never see in the day light. Poverty is when people accuse you and prosecute you for no fault of yours but who is there to say some for you? Poverty is when the hopes of your fathers and grandfathers just vanish within a blink of an eye.  I know poverty and I know poverty just like I know my father's name. Poverty never sleeps. Poverty works all day and night. Poverty never takes a holiday" .

A study conducted by the University of Bristol and the London School of Economics in October 2003, looked at seven aspects of severe deprivation as they affect children in developing countries: adequate food; safe drinking water; decent sanitation facilities; health; shelter; education and information.   It was noted that the many dimensions of poverty – mortality, morbidity, hunger, sickness, illiteracy, homelessness and powerlessness – were difficult to encompass within a single unit of measurement.  Suffice it to say, the Sub-Saharan Africa led in all areas demonstrating that there was severe deprivation amongst the children in this region.

The threat to childhood from poverty is complex.  Poverty deprives these children of the capabilities to survive, develop and thrive.  It prevents them from enjoying equal opportunities and makes them vulnerable to exploitation, abuse, violence, discrimination and stigmatization.    In Africa, children and women suffer from poor sanitation and diseases like malaria and the deadly HIV/AIDS.    The facts as recited on the Fight Poverty website in relation to Child Poverty in Africa are as follows:

·       200,000 child slaves are sold every year in Africa. There are an estimated 8,000 girl-slaves in West Africa alone. (sources: BBC 5 October, 2001 & Anti-Slavery Society)

·       About 120,000 African children are participating in armed conflicts. Some are as young as 7 years old. (source: Africa Children’s Charter)

·       Children account for half of all civilian casualties in wars in Africa. (source: Africa 2015)

·       One in six African children dies before the age of five. Most of these deaths could be prevented. (source: Africa 2015)

·       Nearly one third of children in Sub-Saharan Africa are underweight. (source: UNICEF)

·       In sub-Saharan Africa, measles takes the life of a child nearly every minute of every day. An effective measles vaccine costs as little as $1 per child. (source: UNICEF)

·       Between 12 and 14 million African children have been orphaned by HIV/AIDS. (source: World Bank/UNICEF)

·       Nearly 2 million children under 14 years old are HIV positive. (source: UNICEF)

·       43% of children in Sub-Saharan Africa do not have safe, accessible drinking water. (source: UNICEF)

·       64% of children in Sub-Saharan Africa do not have adequate sanitation. (source: UNICEF)

·       Only 57% of African children are enrolled in primary education, and one in three of those does not complete school. (source: Africa 2015)

·       For every 100 boys there are only 83 girls enrolled at primary school. (source: World Bank/UNICEF)

However, initiatives have commenced to address the problems of Africa through the participation of African and donor nations.   In addition, charitable organisations play a major role in educating the populace in relation to safe health practices and the provision of much needed supplies.  Attempts are being made through proper governance to reduce poverty, introduce free primary education and stemming the HIV/AIDS epidemic.   Political instability and wars contribute to the poverty, but once the underlying issues can be identified, steps can be taken to address the problem and find viable solutions for the children affected by poverty in Africa.

References:

Bellamy, C. (2005).  The State of the World’s Children 2005.  Childhood Under Threat.  Retrieved from http://www.unicef.org/

Cozay Africa. (2006-2011).  Poverty never takes a Holiday:  Fight Poverty and Hunger.  Retrieved from the Cozay website: http://cozay.com/

Fight Poverty (2006).  Poverty In Africa.  Retrieved from the website:  http://www.fightpoverty.mmbrico.com/

Gordon, D.  (October, 2003). Child poverty in the developing world. The Policy Press, Bristol, UK.  Retrieved from http://www.unicef.org/

UNICEF.  Children Living In Poverty.  Retrieved from http://www.unicef.org/