Spreading Hope Through Education

Gaining access to education is a major problem in today’s society. About 121 million children around the world cannot go to school due to poverty, registration issues and lack of schools (global issues). In Batey Cuchilla, Dominican Republic, most of the children do not go to school because they are not officially registered or do not have a birth certificate. Francia Simon used to be one of these children, but when she finally succeeded in obtaining official registration, nationality, and a birth certificate, she decided to help others around her gain birth certificates too, so that they can have access to education and health care.

Francia became motivated and inspired to help others when she almost lost the chance to attend school because she didn’t have a birth certificate. She was constantly pressured by the teachers as she needed a birth certificate to continue in school. But Francia didn't give up, instead she spent hours researching and gathering as much information as she could about official registration and how to get a birth certificate. "Then when she had her own, she saw that other boys and girls within the community don't have their own birth certificate and couldn't go to school." (empower news) Through this experience, Francia discovered the importance of education and how fortunate she is to be able to attend school as there are many children who cannot get education. She also realized that she has the power to help others like her to gain official registration and access to education and health care. Francia had no one to assist and guide her when she was going through this situation and doesn't want the other children to face the same thing she did. Francia hopes to spread her story around the world and help other children to receive birth certificates, "so that they can achieve their goals of becoming engineers, architects, etc" (children’s peace prize). She aims to inspire others to get their basic rights of education and health care and to give them hope of a better and brighter future. Francia is determined obtain access for all of the children to go to school and notifies parents on their child’s right to be registered. By doing this, Francia provides others with a chance for a more promising future.

Francia is a source of hope and a chance to have a brighter future to many poverty stricken refugees and migrants by helping others gain access to education and health care. Many of the children living in the bateyes of the Dominican Republic are without birth certificates, official names or nationalities. Without these essential things, the children cannot have access to education or health care (kid’s rights). Francia not only acknowledged this situation as a major problem but strived to fix it as well. Though Francia has no control over the law that children cannot go to school if they don't have birth certificates, she can help others to be officially recognized. Since she herself has gone through the process of gaining official registration, Francia guides other families through the procedure and teaches them about the rights to get education and health care. Francia believes that it is important to have official registration, name and nationality as it “increases the children’s own self-esteem and gives them the chance to lead a more secure and fulfilling life” (kid’s rights). She knows that education can help to get the children better jobs and more money to support their families when they get older, eventually breaking them out of poverty. Furthermore, Francia believes education will raise the children's self esteem as it will give them hope for a better future beyond poverty and scavenging for food.

Francia's dedication, compassion, and efforts has allowed the Batey children of the Dominican Republic to have an opportunity to live a more fulfilling life. By helping the children gain official registration, nationality and a birth certificate, she not only provided them with access to education and health care but hope as well. Francia gave the children hope for a better future, access to a healthier lifestyle, and a chance to learn. She is an amazing and inspirational person who fully deserved to win the International Children’s Peace Prize in 2010.

Graphic Citation:
http://childrenspeaceprize.org/files/2011/01/30-sept-10-238-300x241.jpg

Home

I am from the garden city,

from grass, flowers, mud & dirt.

I’m from riding bikes and climbing trees,

sandcastles, parasailing, & the deep blue sea.

I am from teddy bears & unicorns,

Waking at 6 to watch dora & boots.

Sponge bob, teletubbies,

Powerpuff girls and Tom & Jerry.

I am from “Make your bed” & “Go practice clarinet,”

Getting grounded because I ‘read too much.’

I’m from staying up till 12 “working,”

In reality just listening to music & relaxing.

I am from wishing on stars,

And wanting the unattainable.

From “nothing is impossible”

And “Never give up.”

                                           

Where am I from?

I’m from the memories of my childhood,

The actions I take today,

And from my hopes and dreams for the future.

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne is a novel about two young boys who are living during the holocaust. The two boys are opposites, Bruno being a child of a Nazi commandant, and Shmuel, a Jew. Though they are supposed to be enemies, because of their youth, ignorance and freedom from prejudice, they befriend one another.

The gates to a concentration camp

The prejudice in The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas were mostly caused by fear, anger and humiliation. When the Germans lost the war and were forced to sign the Treaty of Versailles, they were humiliated and lost a lot of their wealth and power. Because of their anger, they wanted someone to blame and be responsible for the disgrace of Germany. The Germans decided that the Jews were responsible, even when they had no support or evidence on how the Jews were to blame. The majority of the people thought that they were doing the right thing but the few who disagreed were too fearful to speak up.


This novel has taught and shown me many things about prejudice and biases. In The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, Bruno and Shmuel meet each other when they were both still unaware of the holocaust. They befriend one another despite the fact that they are on the opposite sides of the fence. This shows that not all prejudices are correct as Bruno and Shmuel were meant to be enemies but, because of their lack of knowledge, they were willing to get to know and understand each other. 


Prejudice and biases not only affect yourself but others too. Gretel was deeply influenced by her parents and Lieutenant Kotler to believe that all Jews were responsible for Germany losing the war. When Gretel talked to her parents or Lieutenant Kotler about the current situation with Jews, they would tell her information based on their points of view, some of which are not accurate or correct. Gretel chose to trust her parents and in result, became a supporter of the Nazis. She tried to influence and educate Bruno about the Jews but Bruno, who is ignorant and naive, did not listen to Gretel and carried on to be friends with Shmuel. This proves that it is possible to ignore what others say and just do what you believe in.


"Prejudice is a burden which confuses the past, threatens the future and renders the present inaccessible." - Maya Angelou 


Reference:
http://www.krakow-poland.com/i/cms/krakow_auschwitz.jpg

Treaty of Versailles

In the June of 1919, the Treaty of Versailles was signed by Germany. The treaty was created to punish the Germans for World War One, which, the other nations agreed Germany should take complete responsibility for starting the war. Out of the 440 clauses which the treaty consisted of, 414 of them dealt with punishing Germany. 


The Treaty of Versailles was much too harsh on the Germans. Though Germany had a big impact in the war, they were not the only country who participated in it. Countless of other nations have fought, destroyed, and killed many people as well. The treaty caused for the Germans to admit that they were responsible for the entire war but this is not true. Each country had the right to decide to stay neutral like Spain and Sweden did, but instead, many chose to get involved and in result, many died. Germany was also not the only nation who had invaded another country, the Allied Powers did as well. They are just as responsible for the war as the Germans are.

Allied Powers in green, Central Powers in orange, and neutral countries in grey

Clause number 233 of the Treaty of Versailles had Germany pay for all damages done to the civilian population and property of the Allied Governments. In the end, The Allied Powers charged Germany $33 billion, leaving Germany in serious debt. This was unfair as there were many innocent Germans who were greatly impacted by this. There was much hardship for the Germans as many lost their jobs, money, and those who had family members injured also had to pay for the medical fees. Adding to that, the treaty caused Germany to lose a lot of land, resulting in some Germans losing their homes and having to move. The Treaty of Versailles made life in Germany very harsh and unpleasant even though some Germans did not get involved in or support the war.

Land that Germany lost after the treaty

The Treaty of Versailles was incredibly hard on Germany but not on the other defeated nations. Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Turkey all lost some land and money but none of the punishments were as harsh as it was on Germany. This is unfair as all the nations should be sharing the blame instead of just Germany. They all had played a part in the war, including the Allied Powers, so they should all pay the debt together. It was unjust to thrust all the responsibility on Germany alone.




References:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4f/WWI-re.png/400px-WWI-re.png
http://www.historyonthenet.com/WW1/germanlosses.htm

No Man is an Island

No man is an island entire of itself; every man

is a piece of the continent, a part of the main;

if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe

is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as

well as any manner of thy friends or of thine

own were; any man's death diminishes me,

because I am involved in mankind.

And therefore never send to know for whom

the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.
- John Donne

How do these texts explore similar themes?
These text all explore the theme that everyone is connected and we all have to help and show compassion one another, no man is an island. No one can survive and be successful by themselves and we all have to rely each other for assistance and support some point during our lives, as shown in Mankind Is No Island (Jason van Gederen). The video shows many pictures of poverty stricken people on the road sides and emphasizes on the amount of people who walk by without doing anything. They ignore their silent pleas for help. This is also shown in The Island (Armin Greder) when a stranger is washed onto an island. The story tells a tale of a man who had to depend on the compassion of the other villagers for survival and all but one of the villagers was willing to help the stranger. The Island shows a representation of the current world and how little people care for and help others. In John Donne's No Man is an Island, he suggests that all mankind are the same and we should all be treated equally. This contrasts to Greder's illustrations which show villagers treating a man like an animal. They keep him in a goat pen and feed him scrapes of food. They do this because they think that he is different from "them." And yet in the saying, no man is an island, it tells us that though each of us might have some unique qualities that different-shade us, underneath it all, we are all the same. We all are humans. We all want to be loved and appreciated. We all want to fit in. 


How do the texts provide insight to prejudice and "otherness"?
Greder provides insight to prejudice and "otherness" by showing a man who is isolated, ignored, and ill-treated just because he is different. He is secluded from society because others believe that his differences is too great and that he are not like "them." They judged him based on his looks and refused to help him. They think of him as an animal and locks him up a goat pen. Otherness is also clearly shown in Mankind is no Island. There are many pictures of people on the road who need help but are ignored due to them being different from others. 


Why do people make distinctions between "us" and "them"? 

People make distinctions between us and them because they are afraid of their differences. They judge people based on what they look like and where they come from. They are afraid that the people who are different from them might be dangerous, harmful and maybe even more powerful than they are. They isolate the different people to make themselves feel safer from harm. Also, it is much easier to ignore people and make excuses by saying that they are different and could be dangerous instead taking the time help them.