It does not give an African child joy when he sees how poverty has robbed him of his future. An African child wants to be like all others; he wants freedom and wants to express his feelings. An African child is not afraid to speak his mind.
An African child wants food, shelter and good healthcare. Let an African child know his opinion counts. An African child wants to smile give him reason to. He wants to stand help him. He wants to stop crying don’t keep him crying. He wants to try give him a chance. An African child wants a cup of water don’t give him a bottle of acid.
An African child has an invisible sign written on his forehead: ‘Life is a risk, take it or die in poverty.’ Each time sweat streams from his face it reminds him who he is, where he comes from, where he is going, and the struggles that await him.
When will the struggle of the poor African children end; until they go to their eternal homes or until life decides to be fair?
Before the rising of the sun, an African child wakes to face the challenges of the day. At sunset he rejoices over his struggle. In the dark, he laughs at his fear and at dawn, he welcomes the day with a fresh mind because he had forgotten yesterday’s torment.
An African child may sell his land or borrow money only to bury his dead father. Most often than not, what an African child inherits from his father is debt; he’ll pay that accumulated debt until he grows old and dies, leaving his own children with debt.When a child inherits poverty from his father he will transfer it to his own children.
The End.
Extracted from “The Struggle Of an African Child” available on okadabooks.
Written by Azuka Chinonso Igwegbe
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