Poverty

When I think about my childhood, especially my teenage years, I recall feeling that I was poor in material wealth.  In one sense, I guess I did live in poverty.  Should you have come to my house you would have found a wood burning stove in the living room with no central heat or air, a sink in the kitchen that ran only cold water, an old decrepit house that many wondered how long it would last.  We also had a rotary telephone and no cable television until I was much older.  Even though we did not have a lot, we did not accept any public assistance. 

My experience with poverty was different in that I always knew I would have something to eat, a clean place to sleep, and clean clothes to wear.  My dad worked and my mother was a stay at home mom until I was 16.  After she went to work, we were able to have more conveniences, like eating out more, a newer car, and I recall looking for more fashionable clothing.  There was always love in my home and my parents were hard working.  I learned a lot from being poor, something that I will discuss later.

I remember feeling a little different from others in my clothing.  Now I realize that this is trivial, but at the time, it was hard not wearing the designer clothes of the day.  As a teen, I wanted to fit in with my peer group. We went to discount stores and shopped for clothing.  The teenage years were hardest on me.  However, I had a mom and dad who surrounded me with love and encouragement.  Sometimes I was teased, and others seemed to whisper behind my back, yet in the end, I was stronger for it.

I saw education as a way out of poverty.  I proclaimed in third grade that I was going to go to college.  I remember my mom saying, “Well, work hard.  Make good grades.  You know we do not have a lot of money.”  Her advice, even that young, inspired me.  I made good grades and she my family always encouraged me.  My dad lost his job when I was a junior in high school and was unemployed for several years.  During this time, we really stretched our money. 

I will fast forward to my senior year of high school.  I was interested in several colleges, but the one that really seemed like the best fit was Berea College in Berea, KY.  This college reaches out to economically disadvantaged students, offering a work study program and a 4 year tuition package to students.  The mission of the college is, “To provide an educational opportunity primarily for students from Appalachia, black and white, who have great promise and limited economic resources” (Berea College, 2009, para. 2).  I tell people that my family was so poor, I not only had a first free year of college, but I got a refund from the college!  I graduated from Berea College debt free!  I did have term bills to pay, as my dad did go back to work and had a larger income. 

Now as a graduate of Berea College, I am giving back to my own community.  I work in the school district that I graduated from, and I work with low income children in my current job.  My school is a Title I school, with over 85% of the population receiving free and reduced lunch.

What did I learn from poverty?  I learned that my value as a person is NOT based on material wealth.  I learned that working hard has its benefits.  I learned to stretch a dollar and how to save money.  Although my house was not the best, I learned to take care of what I had.  Although I didn’t have the latest, greatest toys and clothing, I enjoyed playing outside and taking walks and enjoying nature.  I learned the value of love and encouragement in a child’s life.

I always felt that I was poor until I traveled abroad to China and Haiti.  Then I felt spoiled.  I think that I was blessed to have my upbringing.  I think that I use my background every day to relate to the students I work with.  Now, my family has overcome poverty by working hard and saving.  My parents have built a new home, debt free.  They both work and have many modern conveniences.  For me, poverty was not a horrible thing.  It helped shape me into the person I am.

I looked at poverty in Mexico.  Our neighbor to the south has much poverty.  I was surprised that the Los Angeles times reported in an article in 2011 that, “46.2% of the population lives in poverty” (Wilkinson, 2011, para. 2).  This was attributed to an increase in food prices and a global recession.

How does this affect children?  Many parents are illiterate and children are as well (Explorando Mexico, 2012).  Some families are not able to have adequate health care. Some children have to work rather than attend school.  Some families turn to crime as a way of meeting needs (Uranga, 2011).  I was surprised to find that there are communities that live in a garbage dump. An organization called “The Children of the Dump” began working with families in Puerto Vallarta to help meet their needs.  In 1998, there were 200 families living at the dump.  Children did not go to school; instead they looked for items that could be resold.  As a result of this organization, there are now schools and after-school programs offered (Mexico Premiere, 2008).  Meals are also prepared for families, and medical care is provided. In short, education is a way of combating poverty. 

Resources

Berea College.  (2009).   Mission: the great commitments of Berea College. Retrieved March 24, 2012 from http://www.berea.edu/about/mission.asp

 Explorando Mexico.  (2012).  Poverty in Mexico, and its figures. Retrieved March 23, 2012 from http://www.explorandomexico.com/about-mexico/6/374/

 Mexico Premiere. (2008, June 19). Children of the dump celebrates ten years of helping.  Retrieved March 23, 2012 from http://www.mexicopremiere.com/?p=638 

Uranga, Rachel.  (2011, December 27).  Growing poverty looms for next Mexican president. Reuters. Retrieved March 23, 2012 from http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/12/27/mexico-poverty-idUSN1E7BP02820111227 

Wilkinson, T. (2011, July 29).  Poverty grew in Mexico to nearly half the population, study finds. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 23, 2012 from http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jul/29/world/la-fg-mexico-poverty-20110730