Child poverty

[GandalfTheWhite]

Hi Lanolin

I am from South Africa, so I could also be a kiwi (just joking because of all the Saffas in NZ).

In SA we also have to provide food for our children when going to school. My son was in a large state owned school and we started a fund for underprivileged kids and there was also another feeding scheme in place funded by the parents. Unfortunately this is the exception to the rule and the reality is that many young children will go to school hungry and will leave for home hungry.

The sad reality is that it is also in the Old age homes. My wife is doing voluntary work at an Old age home and the other day a lady was found dead because of starvation. Nobody knew about it which is unfortunate. We take food there on Saturdays from one of the local supermarkets and people will stand and wait for hours just to get something to eat.

My wife always told me she wants to move to NZ and I always said the USA but God is not done with SA. I have a feeling that we are at the verge of things changing for the better in our beautiful country.

God bless friends, Danie

 

[Lanolin]

at my school I work in breakfast had been provided as they started to have a scheme but no schools currently have lunch.

if you staying or boarding at a school they do have meals. But if its just a day school there is no obligation to provide lunch. Some schools have a tuck shop or canteen where you can buy or order lunch but only for those who bring lunch money.

we had a read 7 books and then you can get a free pizza put on by the pizza company hells pizza. So once a week I would go pick up free pizza for children who read 7 books. In other schools they would just send the voucher home for the parents to pick up themselves but that just would not work in my school. it was ok my pizza outlet didnt mind making up to 30 pizzas for a pick up.

 

[Lanolin]

when I was going to school in my childhood, you could tell the richer kids from the poorer ones as the poor ones would have no lunch, they would 'scab' off others for food. I always had lunch myself, and sometimes i would share but I didnt need to ask others for food. Many of my peers came from broken homes.
when I got to high school there was another level of rich I encountered children of doctors who lived on lifestyle blocks or in the country where they had acres of land. On mufti days you could tell the richer kids as they had label clothing but when we were in uniform there was not much difference except in maybe the kind of shoes people wore.

When you are poor thats all you know, it doesnt occur to you that you are poor really. If something is broke you fix it yourself, if the rent gets too high your family just moves somewhere cheaper.

 

[Lanolin]

I heard my school was making up food packs for families...they cleaned out the school pantry and families were grateful. I hope they got all the free books too. I withdrew a lot of older ones so they could keep them and was giving away a lot of newer ones and also crayons and felts and pens.

we had a stationery list and a small percentage of children (actually around 30 out of 310 or so) had still not bought any stationery. And this was about 3/4 through term 1.

When families cant even afford stationery the situations must be dire. I had one girl who was not given permission to borrow any books by the teachers because her family kept losing them as they moved around so much.

 

[Didymous]

What to do about it?
I just wondered if anyone had any ideas about it.

Maybe start with basics, food and shelter. Why are some children going hungry, or cold? I dont believe parents want to deliberately starve their children or not keep them warm. Is it bad parenting, or is it to do with just not being able to provide. Or is it more to do with solo parents, as two parents can manage better than a solo parent, even if the two parents are poor.

Why is there such a gap between rich and poor these days. Can policy change things, or must we accept that is the way things are. Why should children be born into this, when they have no choice? Do rich people have any responisbilty to look after those less well off?

Some people cry about their "hard earned" money, as if they were taking it with them when they die.

 

[Lanolin]

Some people cry about their "hard earned" money, as if they were taking it with them when they die.

a lot of people have to earn their own way, simply because they were not born to riches.

and it is hard to earn money if you dont know how to 'play the game'. depends.
Some wealthy people can be absolute snobs and not even realise their life of luxury is built on the hard work and efforts of others.

 

[Prycejosh1987]

Why is there such a gap between rich and poor these days. Can policy change things, or must we accept that is the way things are. Why should children be born into this, when they have no choice? Do rich people have any responisbilty to look after those less well off?

It all depends on people and circumstances. Everyone has power to change their own lives and their families, but it all depends on the people.

 

[Lanolin]

I dont think children actually have much power over their own lives as they are so dependent on adults for the basics.