An X-Ray of the State of an African Child

Sitting in front of their door, little Joe wearing a long face with catarrh sliding from his nostrils putting on ton dresses have stayed for over twelve hours without food. When asked what the problem is twelve words came out from his mouth “I am hungry and my parents have gone to look for food”. The statement by little Joe is typical of an African child who grows up by the Grace of God.

With the dwindling economic situation of most African countries, the future of young people seems to be shadow. No finger can be pointed at whosoever is responsible for the dark future but popular opinion holds that the issue needs to be treated at the roots. It is against this backdrop that ASCOA thought it wise to comment on the situation of an African child.

While parents strive hard to give their children the best of everything, many young children in Africa grow up with a lot of issues that start at the base leading very few to rise up to the top. Starting with children in the remote areas, very little is there to ride home with. Lack of education, lack of health units, lack of proper hygiene, lack of portable water just to name but these have been identified as some of the issues plaguing villages with the vulnerable population being children.

Growing up with such issues, the African child seems to be at the losing end because the little he or she can think about is just to make ends meet and can go for hours without food as their parents do mainly subsistence farming to sustain the family.

As most African parents struggle to provide for the family there still happens to be some African children who are well to do. It would be incomplete to talk only about the less privilege African child. As much as there is poverty, so too there are some who are rich. As about 70 percent of Africans leave below the poverty line so too are African children affected.

The Association for Community Awareness ASCOA has decided through its child support initiative to identify the needs of African children and attempt a solution to it at the base. Reason why the situation of an African child is being x-rayed which aims to bring to the fore the problems affecting them from birth till a certain age in life.

Article by Frida Leyina Voma
Communication Director
Association for Community Awareness (ASCOA)