For this blog assignment, I read about childhood poverty in Kyrgyzstan. In 1991 Kyrgyzstan broke from the Soviet Union and sending the economy into "shock therapy".(CHIP) This shock therapy made the economy make a drastic change that they are just know starting to recover from. During the shock period 60% of the population was considered in poverty.(CHIP) Now that there is some stabilizing 47% are considered in poverty with 13% in extreme poverty. (CHIP)
For the income level of the county health and education were ranked in the highest, but this is now rapidly decreasing. 60% of the county is working on agricultural crops that are not providing enough income to support themselves. (CHIP) Children are dropping out of school to work, bringing children work rate to 24%.(CHIP) Children are becoming homeless or "street children," some are turning to prostitution, while others are being trafficked.
Learning more about the poverty in Kyrgyzstan is devastating. In America, we have several resources for those who are poor and living in poverty. In Kyrgyzstan, almost half the nation is living in poverty preventing them from providing opportunities to help their citizens.
Children in Kyrgyzstan working.
References:
http://www.childhoodpoverty.org/index.php?action=countryo
http://www.childhoodpoverty.org/index.php?action=photos
Stephanie,
ReplyDelete60% of any population living in poverty is devastating. With that rate, it would almost seem impossible to climb out of that extreme level of poverty. It is very depressing to know that children are living on the streets and turning to prostitution instead of being ‘children’. I read the information you linked and it appears that there is a plan in place to reduce the poverty level however it is a 15 year plan. It also appears that it is not just local efforts behind the radical change, but also national and international organizations.
Reference:
http://www.childhoodpoverty.org/index.php?action=countryo#25
Stephanie,
ReplyDeleteI also chose Kyrgyzstan after I read about the other countries because I found the numbers shocking. 24% of their children have to work either full or par time and are suffering from malnourishment, tuberculoses, etc. These numbers are high but gladly the government has taken some serious measures in order to reduce the poverty rate and on top of that various other non-profit organizations have been attempting to make a change in Kyrgyzstan.
Reference:
http://www.childhoodpoverty.org/index.php?action=countryo#25