In the world, 35,000 children die of malnutrition everyday. In the past 10 years, wars took the lives of two million children, four million children became disabled by weapons, and twelve million children lost their home. Most of these occurred in developing countries in Asia and Africa.
Even today, too many children, 10 million to 16 million children, are spending their childhoods in battlefields, on streets, at whorehouses, or in sweatshops. Many children are forced to work XNUMX to XNUMX hours a day with little meal, little rest, and little pay (or without any pay). These children’s health conditions are in serious danger, for example, chronic undernourishment, lack of sleep, harmful chemical agent, pesticide, contact with dangerous machines, skin disease, AIDS, etc. Poverty, illiteracy, low societal expectation, etc. are passed from parents to children, and this becomes a vicious circle.
UNICEF ACTION POLICY
On the basis of the basic philosophy of “all people equally have the right to live”, UNICEF considers “what has to be done for people in developing countries to help them become independent?” and practices various assistance activities with a particular emphasis on women and children. UNICEF believes that these assistances should be equally offered to people who really need it, regardless of their races, ideologies, beliefs, ages and gender.
From this standpoint, UNICEF keeps on assisting those developing countries by not only supplying goods but also teaching technologies, advancing educations and fostering industries, so as to help them finally become independent.
(Excerpt from UNICEF H.P.)
UNICEF H.P.: http://www.unicef.or.jp/about_unicef/about_unicef.html
A posthumous poem of Kenji Miyazawa (27 August 1896 - 21 September 1933). Translated by Roger Pulvers
Not lose to rain
Not defeated by the wind
Can withstand both the snow and the summer heat
have a strong body
no greed
Never get angry
always smiling quietly
Four cups of brown rice a day
Eat miso and some vegetables
everything
without counting myself
I understand what I see and hear
And don't forget
In the shade of a pine forest in a field
in a small thatched hut
If there is a sick child in the east
Go and take care of me
If there is a tired mother in the west
Go and carry the sheaf of rice.
If there's someone in the south who's about to die
I hope you don't have to be afraid to go.
If there is a fight or lawsuit in the north
It's boring so I want you to stop.
When the sun is shining, I shed tears
Walking slowly in the cold summer
Everyone calls me Dekunobo.
Not even praised
not bothered
To that kind of thing
i want to be