POVERTY IS NOT A CHOICE, TIME TO RETURN.

Poverty should be everyone’s concern. The more we help the poorest in society, the better our economy improves as a society.

It’s certainly easy to think that people having nothing to show of what the world ask of, had a choice awhile back that placed them in such situations. It is easy to say a teenager with two kids didn’t have to make babies at such tender age. And also is it easy to say that a father could bring children to the world and could never provide for them due to poor life decisions he certainly made.

In Ghana, more than 2.8 million people representing about 10 per cent of the population are in extreme poverty. A typical of such deprived suburb defined as challenged is Agomeda in the Dangbe West District of Shai in the Greater Accra region. Greater Accra happens to be the hub of all opportunities per the thoughts of most Ghanaians, but this part of Greater Accra (Agomeda) informs a second thought. The Assemblyman, Head teachers of the community refer to Agomeda as a challenged community.

It is disheartening to enter the basic schools in Agomeda and find building uncompleted: no doors and vast windows which puts both teachers and students at risk anytime the rains decide to bless the land for the farmers. Students having no access to books required to complete syllabus, furniture not enough for students and teachers to learn. Students come to school and leave on empty stomach reducing the desire and need to complete their education. But in all, these students are required to write same examination with those in good schools furnished with all facilities and stuff needed to improve on their education.

It has become normal now for parents to leave children to fend for themselves since they cannot take care of them. These little ones wonder about, drop out of school and majority of the teenage girls get themselves impregnated by men who give them something little to support them but later, abandon them. Considering this, can we still refer to Poverty as a choice?

Agomeda is amongst the major producers of salon mango but the community is still challenged. Members of the community engage in the seasoned job, farming. Thus when there is no rainfall, there is no food, harvest and sale of produce to provide income.

Few people in the community provide help to these ones since they cannot do it all alone. Poverty is cyclical and it affects every aspect every aspect of a person’s life. Yes, the impoverished may make some poor choices along the way. But systematic poverty keep people and their offspring in poverty despite any choices. We simply can’t blame them.

Knowing all this, we can’t possibly keep thinking that poverty is their choice or destiny. As a people we must return to our roots and support these ones (human dignity). We must help every child with the equal chance to get ahead.

This not a call on government but rather a call to action for the sake of humanity. Caring for this community is by providing the little we have to support and involving organisations as well.

We must support Agomeda and other communities to provide good quality education for the kids, jobs for the youth and others with any means possible. Our support to these ones will improve our economy as a society and reduce the dependence ratio.

It’s time to return to our roots and help the deprived ones and give them a chance to succeed. Poverty is never a choice it could affect anyone lets join hands and support Agomeda and every other challenged community.

#ayearofreturn

#positiveghana

#newmediagij