Haiti Children

"What we need to learn from children isn't childish. Being with them connects us to the deep wisdom of life, which is ever present and only asks to be lived. now, when the world is so confused and it's problems so complicated, i feel the need our children more than ever. their natural wisdom points the way to solutions that lie, waiting to be recognized, within our own hearts."

"Children" from Dancing the Dream poems and reflections
by Michael Jackson

http://www.unicef.org/

http://www.unicef.org/supply/kits_flash/schoolinabox/

As efforts to deal with the aftermath of the earthquakes devastation go on in Haiti and while the main focus is on the injured and providing some sense of stability with security, medical care, water and food supplies, the people are also looking and wonder about the future beyond tomorrow.

The country is facing old issues like weak institutions, lack of access to basic health-care services, poverty or violence but is also sitting on a virtual goldmine: 40% of the population are children under the age of 14 while 58.5% of the people are 15 to 64 years old (source - The World Factbook)

With a median age of 20.2 years Haiti could emphasize on the benefits of a youth driven reconstruction of the country.

The cold facts in statistics and in the reality of Haiti show that there's a lot to be done in order for this potential to be transformed into viable resource.

Haiti is the country most affected by HIV/AIDS outside sub-Saharan Africa.

Poverty, little access to basic health-care, high population density, weak and deteriorated infrastructure this nation faces very though challenges in order to improve the living situation of it's children.

But the most important of all challenges is the need to get children in schools and offering them the means (health-care, solid educational programs, etc.) to stay in school.

If Haiti has a chance to turn this situation around then it's hopes lie in the millions of children.

"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world"

Nelson Mandela

http://www.savethechildren.org/

http://www.icrc.org/eng