ORPHANS & VULNERABLE CHILDREN (OVC’s)
Today, 9th April 2021 the bill boards of one of our daily newspapers in the Kingdom of Eswatini was “OVC’s sent home as Government has not paid 2020 fees.” In my country the majority live on below a dollar a day! OVC’s live on less than that! Certain get a meal daily from the Soup Kitchen.
Since I do not even give it a second thought it dissipates instantly.
As I jog I am not only subjected to “nasty comments” from people who believe that “because I am white” I will not understand their comments in our traditional language “SiSwati.” It is also not abnormal for high school pupils to point a finger at my straw hat and then endeavor to invite an audience to make a spectacle of me. Fortunately, as I have learned to “neutralize energies” by focusing on the now and feeling absolutely nothing, that endeavor of belittling me falls flat. Since I do not even give it a second thought it dissipates instantly.
I love to jog around 8.30 a.m. for that is when I get my dose of Vitamin D and normally by then the children are in class, others are at work and I have the Township to myself. It is also a time when I am done with cleaning the pool, the yard, and attending to my dogs. I prefer to get rid of all the physical work as early as possible so I can do my work without the nagging thoughts of what I have failed to do.
Nastiness has no boundaries, even for young children. They copy what they observe being done by adults.
Today, however, the OVC’s had been sent home. I observed as certain who adorned school shoes tramped on another child’s toes as that child had no shoes. This became a game where 3 other children perpetrated the same action. I could “feel” the child’s “pain” at being “abused” in this fashion. Besides asking them to stop this behavior and explaining to them that what they were doing was just unacceptable and downright nasty, there was little else I could do for if I over-protected the child he may later have been subjected to an assault after I had left. Nastiness has no boundaries, even for young children. They copy what they observe being done by adults.
In my country, there are households headed by children as their parents have died from HIV/AIDS and extended families could not be bothered to assist. Gone are the days where when the parents died, Aunts and Uncles would take care of the children. I personally fostered children who were badly ill-treated by family members who moved into the father’s house upon his demise! Strange is it not that instead of helping the “extended families” ill-treat and abuse the children. These children become the “slaves” in the homestead. The desire to amass wealth at any cost is so destructive! Young lives are ruined, not by outsiders but by family members!
This must be the most demeaning act perpetrated against these OVC’s.
Having given you this background it is obvious these children will grow up with numerous insecurities and will often “attack and become nasty” in an attempt to “shield” themselves from verbal assaults and having to answer 101 questions. One would think that learning institutions would realize that by sending these children home they not only deprive the children of the only meal they would have had for the day, but they have also marred the children for life. These children are not only “shown” to the other children for their status in the school, but to every passerby, as they walk home, besides of course their neighbors. This must be the most demeaning act perpetrated against these OVC’s.
Something of note is how those “in a slightly better position” run down those less fortunate. This behavior of running others down originates in the homesteads. It is not uncommon for elders to poke fun at outsiders or even a child in the presence of other children resulting in children adopting this behavior without recognizing that same, especially to less privileged children who have no support, will be detrimental in numerous respects. I would not be surprised if the children suffer mental setbacks i.e. psychological blockages. These children feel rejected by society “in all respects.” Can you imagine a household headed by a 9 year old child? Just the responsibility of having to provide for their siblings on a daily basis denotes a very responsible 9 year old! No matter how much this child would like to “protect” her siblings she cannot protect them from the embarrassment and pain they feel. They stay together for they know the pain and only have each other to depend on.
It then does not become uncommon for these to fall pregnant from some pedophile. If even in so-called “normal households” when children report sexual abuse to their parents the parents often say the children are telling lies, can you imagine a vulnerable child informing an adult neighbor about such? Personally, I believe the child will be beaten for telling a lie about an adult! I would not be surprised if these children are molested by perverts. These children will do anything to just be acknowledged and accepted. The very institutions that should be grooming them for the future are the institutions that “show them up” in a demeaning manner and are destroying the children. Where does one who is hungry and has been rejected go for assistance?
We cannot continue to look the other way!
I believe that we as the Swazi Nation have dismally failed these OVC’s. Personally, I believe orphanages would not solve the problems encountered by these children. Since all they have is each other separating them, and then “changing their lifestyle” would be devastating to the children. Remember, the only life they know is being together. We cannot continue to look the other way!
Why have I written this article? To request every person who reads this to please stay mindful and to stop children poking fun at the vulnerable. Please lead and live by example. Speak to your children and any children you know that running others down has a detrimental effect on that person. If your children cannot help the vulnerable, at least please don’t hurt them! If you can assist in some way please do. The very schools that sent them home can provide a list of the OVC’s.
Thank you for stopping by to read my blog.
I share because I care.
Love always, kisses, hugs
I HAD A DREAM (2014)
