Welcome to the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Blog: Welcoming Families From Around the World
The name of my family's country of
origin is Venezuela, and the family consist of 3 children and a mother and
father. The children speak very little
English, they have poor health and they are in need of help with housing, food
etc.
Five ways I will prepare myself to be
culturally responsive towards the Venezuela family:
1.
I will practice basic language skills so I can communicate some with the
family and I will seek to find a person who is fluent in their language to help
convey as much information to the family as possible, which will be also good
practice and learning for myself.
2. I will find out if there is any
available housing specific for families who have migrated from other
countries. I will contact the refugee office
and find out about as many services as I can, and get brochures /information to
give to the family to help them adapt.
3. I will prepare an information
packet that I will go over with the family, with the translator present in
hopes to find out more about them, their likes, dislikes, customs, culture, foods
(likes and dislikes) needs, and history.
4. I will try to
find classroom resources about my family's country of origin that I can put on
the walls to make the family feel welcome.
5. I will gather a care package of items for the
families and present it to them from the class
I believe that all
of these measures will help narrow the gap between myself and the family. By taking the time to research, prepare and
aid the family with the proper information, items and help, it decreases the
stress and anxiety of feeling lost in a new environment. I feel that it helps create a bond and a
support system between the family and I so that they feel like they can begin
to trust. Sometimes it's the smallest
things that mean the most when you are entering a country for the first time
and your responsible for providing for a family.
Information on Venezuela:
Main problems faced by children in Venezuela:
Almost 40% of the
Venezuelan population live below the poverty line.
Despite this, the country has succeeded in perceptibly reducing the poverty in
a manner that is particularly commendable for a South American country.
The rights of many
children are endangered as a result of this poverty, posing a very real threat
to their well-being. Children living in isolated rural regions, as well as
children of indigenous peoples, are the ones most affected by this problem.
In Venezuela, roughly
one child in ten is uneducated.
This lack of education
affects some children more than others; indigenous children, those descended
from African families, and those who live in rural areas may encounter more
difficulties in obtaining an education
than others. In particular, they must overcome numerous administrative
obstacles.
The sexual
exploitation of children is a stark reality in Venezuela, a country
which is frequently the source or the intermediary location for the trafficking of
children for sexual purposes.
This type of commerce
is extremely harmful for children who are sometimes subjected to the most
senseless forms of sexual exploitation (e.g. pornographic films). It clearly
flouts the principles of the Convention
of the Rights of the Child (CRC).
Corporal punishment is
widely accepted by the Venezuelan population. It is still practiced,
specifically by parents who cannot imagine alternative means to punish, or
reason with, their children. Corporal punishment can have serious physical and
mental repercussions for children.
In addition, many
children are victims of domestic
violence and abuse.
Venezuelan police are
not always protective of the children they encounter. In fact, when faced with
children who are not always aware of their actions, the police officers often
resort to violence or other inadequate means.
The Venezuelan justice
system is also greatly suspect: torture, illegal execution and forced
disappearances are commonplace. Not even minors are spared from the shocking
conditions of detainees, often being subjected to inhuman and degrading
treatment.
In this way, the
police and judicial protection to which children are entitled are regularly
overridden, going against the principles posed by the CRC.
In Venezuela today
there live people whose rights are violated and unrecognized, where children
are unprotected and constantly threatened. These children are not treated in
the same manner as others. They are victims of discrimination
in essentially every fundamental right. It is particularly difficult for them
to obtain access to aid, health services and education.
The treatment of these
children by the State and by the rest of the population has grave consequences
for their standard of living. The state of their health is extremely precarious,
and it seems that with each violation of their rights they become increasingly
vulnerable.
These people and their
children are deprived of their fundamental rights: security, health,
nutrition,
education,
and protection."
