Overseas Development Institutes (ODI)

Unfortunately, I have not heard back from my international contact, and I have encountered numerous issues with uploading the websites provided. However, I was able to upload one of the alternative links provided. Below is an informative description of an international organization that strives to reduce poverty in undeveloped countries, like Africa and the UK.

Overseas Development Institutes, also known as ODI, is the UK's leading independent organization on international development and humanitarian issues. "Our mission is to inspire and inform policy and practice which lead to the reduction of poverty, the alleviation of suffering and the achievment os sustainable livelihoods in developing countries. We do this by locking together high quality applied research, practical policy-focused dissemination and debate. We work with partners in the public and private sectors, in both developing and developed countries." (http://www.odi.org.uk/about). The ODI is in partnership with many other organizations, in the strive to fight poverty, such as OneWorld, EUFORIC, and Business Action for Africa, just to name a few. The link below provides its' viewers with a world history of how ODI came to development, the motives and intent's of ODI and how ODI strives to rid of poverty through policy changes, asking questions and finding answers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=xuyRI00tbCg

The ODI foresees and undergoes numerous program's to pursue the fundamental and agricultural development of foreign countries. For example, the Agricultural Development and Policy program "works to promote understanding of transitions in food and agriculture, and appropriate policy responses. This is done with the aim of reducing hunger and poverty, and improving the sustainability of rural livelihoods in the face of increasing social, economic and physical shocks and stresses." (ODI). They also conduct, what they call, Flagship Projects. One project, the Africa Power and Policy Program works hand in hand with African politicians and leaders to develop a coherent political structure to enhance the development of Africa.   

The Overseas Development Institute does much more than fight against poverty, as a whole, but it conducts extensive research in policy making, agricultural statistics and developmental consistencies and researches how such demographics can be altered to promote successful growth in areas of Growth, Poverty and Inequality.  

Although economic growth has been witnessed in Africa, poverty is still at an all time high. The number of families, children and women without food, clothing or shelter is still at an alarming rate. The ODI focuses on eliminating these demographical statistics through the changing of inaccurate policies and the shifting of Africa's most influential power holders. "Poor statistics and poor data make for both poor policy interventions and poor developmental outcomes. But the paucity of accurate statistics in Africa is not merely a technical problem; it has a massive impact on the welfare of our citizens." (Development Initiatives, 2013). 

My Supports

Having a wonderful support system can be the fundamental resource of one's success. I have a lot of people in my corner who support me; my mother, my father, my brother, my grandmother, aunts, uncles, cousins, and my husband, and even though my daughter is only one, she is one of my biggest supporters, although she doesn't know it. My daughter just recently turned one, but she is my biggest motivation to wake up every morning to do what I love to do. The fact that I am her teacher, and having her in the classroom with me all day is a plus. Sometimes, when I encounter those days, when things just seem a little overwhelming, my husband is there to comfort me, anyway possible. Sometimes, just one of his amazing foot rubs or delicious homemade bowls of soup, or just a simple, it's going to be ok, it's just one day, helps make those days a little bit easier it bear. 

My mother is another huge supporter of mine. She has stood behind me in every decision that I have made. No matter how indecisive I was, although she encouraged me to channel all my passions into one particular field, she never rushed or forced me to do so. When I made the decision to follow my passion for children and study to become an Early Childhood Educator, she herself, took time to seek resources for me in support of this field. She always encouraged me to do my best, and that it was okay if I didn't make straight A's, as long as I gave 100% and did the best that I could do. Although, that didn't stop me from maintaining the Honor Roll for three years and becoming Who's Who Amongst American High School Students, as well as, graduating Cum Laude with my A.A. and B.A. The love I share for my mother is beyond words, and I am truly thankful for her love and support. 

If I could imagine to have a challenge, one that I do not have, that would cause a challenge in my Field of Early Childhood would be Dyslexia. Working in the field of Education, Reading and Writing is a very essential tool needed in this field. Working with children and encouraging essential tools like reading, language, phonemic awareness, enunciation, etc., requires a level of comprehension on behalf of the teacher. For me, I would find it extremely difficult to teach objectives such as reading, language, phonemic awareness and enunciation if I suffered from difficulties in reading, writing, and language comprehension. Not to say that it wouldn't be possible, but it would certainly pose a challenge in my confidence and my ability to produce as an effective Early Childhood Educator. In order for me to produce as effective as I know I would be able to, I would definitely need a strong support system all around me. A support system that would help me to improve my reading and writing level, enhance my language acquisition by challenging me, and providing me with the emotional and tangible support that would help me to grow through this challenge. 

My Connections to Play

Growing up in Queens, New York, I was always encouraged to play outside, not only by my parents, but by the many friends I had in the neighborhood. If my parents noticed that I have been in the house past a certain time, they always suggested for me to go outside to play with my friends, sometimes even shoving me out the door (smiling). My parents influenced my love for playing by sometimes even coming outside and playing with me. We would play board games outside, jump rope, hide and seek, I Spy, or sometimes just take a walk around the block. My parents nurtured my ability to learn through play, without even knowing it. My most fondest memories are with my parents when we would play outside together. During these moments, I saw a side of my parents that I loved, the fun side. I also learned, during these moments, that my parents can be as big of a kid as I was, and that was okay. 

In this day and age, the term play has taken on a whole new meaning. In this generation, the term play refers to someone being "dissed", or insulted, or sitting in front of a computerized game, an iPad or video game. During my childhood, to play meant to run around outside, go hang out with friends, go rollerblading in the neighborhood, jump double dutch, jump hop scotch, or anything else that required exercise. During my childhood times, obesity was much more along the lines of endangered, where as now, it's more like an epidemic.  

The three quotes below simply define how play holds a vital role in my life and the lives of our young children. The first quote is a prime example of where 'play' resided my life, hidden. My husband is the biggest adult/"kid" I know. He loves to play his video games, loves when we play wrestle, and is always playing jokes on me. The second quote clearly defines why I found his jokes and his love for the video games so un-laughable. During my teenage to young adult stages, I lost my love to play. I was much more concerned about so many other irrelevant things, that I lost what it meant to truly have fun. The third quote reflects my thanks that my parents planted that seed of what it truly means to play and have fun, as later on in my marriage, I regained my ability to play and have fun. Now...he tells me that I play to much...(smiling).  

My hope for our young children is that they will redefine the term 'play' and appreciate its true definition before they too find themselves growing old because they stopped playing. If children understood the in depth truth of what it means to 'play' then obesity would decrease, children would learn to expand every aspect of their development, and become much more appreciative of the simple things they do have, as opposed to the expensive technological gadgets that they believe they deserve. 

My Representation of 'Play'

"In every real man a child is hidden that wants to play" - Friedrich Nietzsche, German Philosopher

"We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing" - George Bernard Shaw

"It is a happy talent to know how to play" - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Below are two essential play items that I loved to play with as a young child. 

                             
Double Dutch Rope                                                       Board game called Sorry

Relationship Reflection

Relationships are essential in life. At some point, people develop relationships with people of all walks of life. It just so happen that I developed a relationship with a man who was born in the same hospital as me, one year apart, lived in the same state as me as a child, lived approximately 15 mins away from me and never knew him, shared the exact same culture, views and values and never met until I moved to Georgia, at the age of 20. This man is now my husband of three beautiful years. Outside of the fact that we share so many similarities in our lives, we established a Secure and positive relationship. We made it a mission to communicate with one another no matter the situation. We build each other up and sharpen one another in our times of need. Despite our efforts to maintain this positive relationship, there is no perfect relationship. We have our disputes, but have established such a dedicated, strong, influential and positive relationship, that we have learned, and are still learning, how to overcome those trials and move on. My relationship with my husband gets me through me day. He motivates me to be true to myself in all aspects of my life. He pushes me to strive for the best and to give my all, while reminding me that he is right behind me, supporting me as I go. Another positive relationship I have is one with my parents. Growing up in a nuclear household, both of my parents played an active role in my life and everyday endeavors. I have learned so much from my mom and dad and I am truly grateful to have such a strong and positive relationship with them both.  

Powerful Quote About Children

How we treat our children is a true reflection of us. One quote that I found to be so compelling is a quote by Nelson Mandela, 

"There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats its children".  - Nelson Mandela

This statement is a true eye opener in how we as Early Childhood Educators treat our children. Are we not a part of society? Do we not have the ability to change our society? Most theories and ideologies of children are all socially constructed with no concrete defining census behind the treatment of children in our society, and if there is, point proven in why we need to change it. There are so many children, all over the world, who are mistreated, used and abused daily and so many others who are living in poverty. The change begins with us. 

“Humans are not born with the capacity to care for themselves; they are completely dependent on someone else. A primary caregiver, who is generally the infants’ mother, father, or principle guardian, is responsible for nurturing and fostering growth within the infant” (Ranson & Urichuk, 2008, p. 129).

 

Violence and Chaos and its Effects

Violence and chaos are two stressors that can go hand in hand; with violence comes chaos. Children, especially at the tender age of infancy and toddler, are not equipped to handle and cope with such devastating, life-changing trauma. Exposure to stressors like violence and chaos leave traumatizing effects on a child's life, as early as infancy, and can follow them into adulthood. In my many years as an Early Childhood Educator, I have interacted with many children from all walks of life. I vividly recall a young boy, four years of age, who was clearly exposed to violence and chaos. It was during our "Community Week", in which we invite community helpers (police officers, fire fighters, doctors, dentist, etc.) to visit with the children and speak about how they help the community. On this particular day, we had Police Officers to visit. All the children we sitting on the floor, kris-cross applesauce, and ready to listen. As the Police Officers entered the classroom, I noticed this little boy become very fidgety and nervous. Not wanting to alarm the other children, I slowly walked over to him, in efforts to comfort him; but before I could reach him, he begins screaming at the top of his lungs, tears running down his little face, yelling repeatedly, "Please don't take my daddy!Please don't take my daddy!". At that point, myself and the director of the center comforts him as we escorted him out of the classroom. At this point, I too had tears in my eyes, which I tried to hold back, because I have never experienced this before. Words cannot describe the pain I felt in my heart for this little boy. The director encouraged me to go back into the classroom with the other children, but I reassured him that my assistant and the additional teacher were capable of monitoring the other children. There was no way I could leave this little boy, after what he just experienced. Later that afternoon, I spoke with his mother and informed her of what happened earlier that day. To my surprise, she seemed quite nonchalant about everything, and replied it's a part of life, we all got to grow up at some point.  The amount of anger and mixed emotions that boiled up inside of me were too much to handle, and I thought it in my best interest to cut the conversation short, report the conversation and her response to my director, and made a mental note to pay close attention to this particular little boy, as he well needed to be comforted and reassured that he was in a safe environment when he was at school, and in my presence.
Brazil is the one place that I am longing to visit. Brazil has the highest poverty rate in the world.
"The disparity between the rich and poor in Brazilian society is one of the largest. The richest 1% of         Brazil's population control 50% of its income. The poorest 50% of society live on just 10% of the country's wealth, while the poorest 10% receive less than 1%!" (http://www.childrenofbahia.com/childpoverty.htm). Most poverty amongst children in Brazil is caused by abandonment, and HIV among parents. Survival on the streets involve finding foods in bins and garbage cans, exploitation, running drugs and stealing. Other children turn to drugs, such as glue sniffing, because it is so inexpensive, as a means of escape from the realization of their poverty stricken lives. The affects of drugs and exploitation on children in Brazil are tremendous and traumatizing to their physical and mental health.

References

Child Poverty in Brazil-Facts, Reasons and what can be done. Retrieved from       http://www.childrenofbahia.com/childpoverty.htm

The Breast is the Best

Breastfeeding is one of the most preeminent forms of bonding with your infant, not to mention, the only source in providing your infant with the most essential nutrients and vitamins necessary for healthy brain and bodily development. The specific fats and sugars in breast milk make it more digestible and better for the brain than any formula (Drover et al., 2009; Riordan 2005; Berger 2012). Breastfeeding is a very meaningful topic to me because my mother was breastfed as an infant, my mother breastfed me as an infant, and I continued on the tradition by breastfeeding my daughter as an infant. Unfortunately, I was only able to breastfeed by daughter up to six weeks, but she was still able to receive those essential nutrients and vitamins she needed. In the future, when I am blessed with another child, I will definitely breastfeed. After reading about breastfeeding and its many other advantages, such as enhancement in developmental skills at an early age and promotes weight loss, I will definitely seek other resources that will enable me to breastfeed as long as possible.

In the United States, we are blessed with laws and regulations that protect mothers and permit breastfeeding in public arenas, however, places like Russia, have a ways to go. In Russia, women are banned from breastfeeding in public. Not only is breastfeeding considered socially unacceptable, but the exposure of a woman's breast suggest a form of sexuality and grounds for harassment. A mother is not allowed to leave her home until she has weaned her child off of the breast, but can still provide breast milk for her infant by pumping or only breastfeeding in her home.
Despite these laws and regulations, women are still judged and ridiculed here in the United States. I encourage all mothers, young and old, to freely breastfeed their children, whether in private or in public...its your right as a mother, in the land of the free.