Passport Out of Poverty

Passport Out of Poverty.

“Providing quality education for all is not only a question of human rights. It is the only way out of poverty and exclusion for millions of children around the world. Yet many privileged young people literally squander the opportunity while others crave the resources these squanderers have.

My own story

Having grown up dirt poor myself, with a mother who has a minimum amount of education, I can speak to passionately about how education has changed my life. It’s the vehicle that made who I am today. I often look back and wish I had half of the resources my own children now have, believe it or not many of my lesson were held under trees back home in Jamaica. Though enjoyable, on reflection I just realise how much more I may have been able to achieve given the resources available in the West to children today. Others would argue that perhaps I may not have worked as hard as I did, while too late to prove I still wish I had some more resources.

All this is debatable as for those born into poverty, every day is a natural disaster. Yet in this case, society often appears to turn a blind eye. The very same people who shed tears watching the aftermath of the Japanese Tsunami are the ones who cross the road to avoid the homeless. Those who ran around the office with a bucket to help the Haitian people in the wake of the earthquake that claimed 220,000 lives, are the same ones who avoid eye contact with those, who really should just go get a job.

Some Statistics

In 2007, UNICEF’s report on Child Poverty in the OECD stated that Australia has a relative child poverty rate of nearly 12 per cent. That is, 12 per cent of children living in a house where the family income is 50 per cent or less of the median wage. Some people argue that the poverty level is higher than this, as relative poverty only looks at those who (for whatever reason) earn very little, and not those who earn nothing at all. More than 500,000 Australian children live without an employed parent in their household. The UK and USA rate far worse coming last and second last respectively in a comparison of Child Well-being throughout the OECD.

If we can educate the young, they can break free of the poverty trap. I however, say educating your child isn’t just a task for the government and the teachers, it starts at home. Parents ought to start educating  at home by beginning to almost drill it in them that that is their only  passport to success, not being a footballer or a wag , the chances are 1000 to 1,  especially when your parents aren’t filthy rich.

Starts at home

Education at home doesn’t just start with maths and English, but with smaller immediately trainable actions such as please and thank you, helping with the chores around the home etc. It’s instilling a disciplined mind-set that will be needed to grasp the academic training at school.

If children do not get involved in activities that help them understand taking responsibility, then they won’t understand how to take responsibility for their own learning. Some of us are forced into using this vehicle like myself, others are taught by parents and careers to do so. Whatever or whoever teaches this isn’t as important as the fact that it is taught in my opinion.

Whatever your reason is for using this great platform to change your situation, I can guarantee you that its success proof. Therefore, I implore you be it parents , careers or young people to take the challenge today and step out and be counted, by using the only tool universal almost to all young people globally  . Note I said almost as not everyone has the access and chance to an education, therefore, if you do make the best use of it.

About Ava Brown:

I can speak on this topic having lived it and proven it .

Why not book your FREE consultation today and let us speak about the Education of your children.

Ava Brown MBA, BBA, Dip. Ed.| Trainer, Speaker & Consultant | Author of Bamboo & Fern
Tel:  078 0886 6870 | Email: info@avabrown.org | Web: www.avabrown.org