On my flight down to Nicaragua today, the woman next to me was reading The Economist. I for one have never been one to pick up this magazine, but in peeking over her shoulder every now and then the contents of each page seemed quite enthralling and intellectually stimulating.
I thought to myself about what might fill the pages of said publication and immediately imagined that the majority of the articles probably highlight the toll of the economic downturn on such and such consumer etc. In truth, that's all that the American public is fed each night via the media. Local news, CNN, NYTimes, you name it...they are each so preoccupied with the economy and the swine flu (but that's for another post).
As I thought about the topic of the 'economy' en route to Nicaragua for my month long dive into poverty, I was reminded of an article I saw recently:
On May 28th, a BBC article entitled “Global crisis ‘hits human rights’” quoted Amnesty International’s recent report on the ‘State of the World’s Human Rights’ saying the “world’s poorest people were bearing the brunt of the economic downturn.”
I don’t doubt it one bit.
As I landed in Managua tonight, and stepped out into the warm summer air I was reminded of my time here just a few months ago. I was reminded of the typical scenes of poverty that I saw with my own eyes: thousands of people living in the Mangua City Dump, a school full of malnourished children, a single teen-aged mother walking barefoot, and a family cramped into one room with no electricity or plumbing. I have been to a number of 3rd world countries, but one can never get too accustomed to witnessing such circumstances.
Poverty IS the reality of the vast majority of Nicaraguans. As the second poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, only after Haiti, Nicaragua has been left in an impoverish state due largely to natural disasters, corrupt politics and the irresponsible handling of International aid.
The Amnesty report highlighted that within the Americas, it is the indigenous communities which are being disproportionately affected by poverty. Furthermore, “women and girls faced violence and sexual abuse, particularly in Haiti and Nicaragua. The stigma associated with the abuse condemned many to silence, while laws in some nations meant that abortion was not available to those who became pregnant as a result of abuse or assault.”
One of the most striking realizations of my last trip to Nicaragua was that most girls were pregnant by age 15 and on their own a year or so later. Not only are young girls forced into motherhood early but there is also a lack of education on women’s health and care.
I do not propose or expect an economic turn or a report on these regions’ state of poverty to drastically change anything. I merely hope to do my part and acknowledge that my current situation is a blessing to be valued.
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