Helping Others

I grew up having a very fortunate life. I did not have to go through half of the problems that most have experienced, however in my early teens when I was in high school I went through a rough couple of years mentally and physically. I became anorexic and very depressed to the point that my parents tried to hospitalize me for both diseases. Being a young teen and thinking that I knew what was best for me I promised to change my habits. When my weight hit an all time low, and I got mono because my body was so emaciated, I had no choice but to stay at home for six weeks to recover. During that "mental break" I rested, I did a lot of soul searching, and that is where I learned the importance of meditation. I refused to let anyone help, however I knew I wanted to get better. Thankfully I did recover and after the sickness returned to a healthier weight and continued to live an active life. As much as I helped myself, looking back I wish I would have had someone there who I felt comfortable to talk to. I had all the "stresses" of a high school student along with extracurricular stresses as well. I pushed too hard and tried to do too much and be too perfect for everyone and it ended up with me almost in the hospital. Today's society of children I feel have way more stresses simply because you add social media into the development stages. Anorexia and depression are serious diseases that hit young teens especially hard that could unfortunately lead to death. For more information: www.teenhealth.com
                     www.teendepression.org

The country I chose to learn about is Africa. The children are the future, but how can they be the future and concentrate when they are afraid to get sick or where their food is coming from. Here are some facts: "17 million children die from malnutrition and starvation each year  
                      1.4 million children under the age of 15 are living with HIV
                      19,000 African children die daily from easily curable diseases
                      80 per cent of children under the age of 15 living with HIV are African children"
 (http://senweb.lr.k12.nj.us)

People/groups have been trying to help the children in Africa for years. You may see the commercial while watching tv that asks to donate some money to help the children and give them support and food. Any amount can help but it is going to take a lot more work to reach the children and make a difference. There is an organization called Save the Children who focuses on the malnutrition of the children and they want to get food to these starving places. Some of what this organization does:

"We have screened over 51,000 children across South Sudan and found that nearly 1 in 4 are suffering from malnutrition. In response we have set up stabilization centers to treat malnourished children with special therapeutic foods. We're distributing seeds, tools and equipment to those who have lost their livelihoods as a result of the conflict, helping families to get back on their feet. We’re providing lifesaving medicines and helping make sure communities are educated on how to reduce the spread of cholera. And in Nimule hospital alone, Save the Children has already vaccinated more than 15,000 children against life threatening diseases such as measles and polio." (www.savethechildren.org)

I believe it is very important to have perspective. As an American I have been very fortunate. I get caught up in my day to day life and feel like I take a lot for granted. Taking a moment to reflect and learn about what other people are going through is an eye opener. I hope this helps others get some perspective, look at their lives and realize it could always be worse, and what could we do to help others.


Health of African Children (n.d.) Retrieved May 31, 2015 from http://senweb.lr.k12.nj.us/
Helping Starving African Children (2015). Retrieved May 31, 2015 from www.savethechildren.org