Getting to Know Your International Contacts—Part 1

Getting to Know Your International Contacts—Part 1

Administration for Children and Families (ACF)

Contact person:  Jessica Taeden

Location:  Bulgaria

Telephone: +359 2 943 32 51

Website:  http://www.acf.hhs.gov/about

E-mail Address:  jtt@mail.ctl

 

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is a division of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and is headed by the Assistant Secretary for Children and Families.  It has a $49 billion budget for 60 programs that target children, youth and families.  This agency is responsible for federal programs which promote the economic and social well-being of families, children, individuals, and communities.   

Jessica who lives is Bulgaria used to teach fifth grade before joining the Administration for Children and Families, where she has been working for the past three years.  Jessica has worked with children and their families throughout her career.  She spoke to me about how impoverished this country is and how it does not seem to get any better.  I asked Jessica about the school environment for young children in Bulgaria.  She replied by saying that “Early childhood education is encouraged for the healthy development and nurturing of many important foundations.  Trends show that parents here in Bulgaria are increasingly recognizing that children need a good education in order to pull themselves out of the poverty levels they are experiencing.  Jessica stated that many of the issues are centered on hunger and living environments.  She stated that many children in Bulgaria do not attend school because there is a lack of resources such as books, teachers, school buildings, etc.  This is a poorly developed country.  Jessica has had occasion to visit families where an entire family of eleven lived in a single room in which nine were young children, some no more than babies.  Some of them were crying because they were hungry, and there was nothing to eat.  Another family did not have plumbing or even a toilet; they had to go nearby about a mile in order to use the toilet.  She stated poverty levels in Bulgaria are enormous and with all the help they receive from other countries, it does not seem to make too much of an impact.

Jessica stated that during her time as a teacher, during the holiday season she would bring each child one new outfit.  There were 8 students in her class.  She would also give each of them a gift bag to take home and pray that they would enjoy it.  Jessica stated that world hunger is so rampant; she feels that there is really no solution that will stop it, basically because of growing populations.  She does all she can to help children develop, grow and learn, although sometimes she feels that it is not even worth it because many of the children miss school, and by the time they return, some weeks later, they have forgotten what they have already learned.  There are so many young children who are hungry in the world that it seems that when you help or sponsor one; it does not make a different because there are so many more out there. 

Jessica feels that poverty and hunger will never end, basically because of the population growth.  The more food that is grown the more populations increase.  Not matter what we do or how we do it the hunger problem throughout the world will only increase instead of decrease of stop. 

 

OMEP - USA

Contact person:  Tara Myers

Location:  Jamaica

Telephone:  1(876) 234-4589

Website:  omepusa.fatcow.com/omep/OMEP%20USA%20Bylaws%20approved%2...‎

 

E-mail Address:  thm@siu.edu

Tara works for OMEP - USA in Jamaica. OMEP is one of the oldest and largest international organizations that focus on early childhood.  The goal of OMEP – USA is to ensure the well-being, rights, and education of children (birth – age 8) and their families in the USA and around the world, today and in the future.  From a professional standpoint, she feels that poverty basically destroys our common humanity and creates barriers that make communication impossible.  I asked Tara what her thoughts were regarding young children and poverty regarding the field of early childhood.  Tara stated that in Jamaica many children go hungry.  Out of every eight children one goes to bed hungry.  This has a devastating effect on a young child’s development process.  Many children are so weak sometimes that they barely make it in to school, and many of those who do come are very sick basically because of the contaminated water and food that is spoiled.   Our main focus is to help children get immunizations so that they may remain healthy.  Some schools provide three nutritious meals, while others provide what they can, which may sometimes only be a half piece of fruit for breakfast.  Tara stated that being healthy is one of the most important factors in relation to a young child’s development process. 

In regards to poverty around the world Tara feels that under nutrition rates are much higher than the prevalence of undernourishment. She feels that one way to decrease hunger throughout the world is for farmers to increase the amount of foods they plant and partner with communities to address immediate food needs while at the same time grow sustainable food for the future.  They should prepare for the rapidly growing population throughout the world.  Basically the success of the endeavor will depend on social engagement on the part of all farmers.  We have to connect with them in ways that are supportive, patient and ultimately highly productive.  This process still may not end world hunger, but it is a start.  This is only my opinion.