A generation of lost children<\/p>\n
I absolutely agree with Steven Woodhouse from Unicef and
\nCoordinating Minister for People's Welfare and Poverty
\nEradication Basri Hasanuddin's worry and fear about \"losing a
\ngeneration of children in Indonesia today\". And expanding into
\nthis \"unfolding tragic story\" is the fact of the fierce and rapid
\nescalation of drug addiction, HIV\/AIDS and hepatitis which is
\nclaiming the lives of so many of our young Indonesian boys and
\ngirls today.<\/p>\n
More and more of our \"young children\" who cannot afford to go
\nto school, who drop out of school for economic reasons, and those
\nwho must live within the families' poverty are turning to drugs
\nfor reasons of \"escape, from the poverty and sorrow of their
\nlives\". Many young girls and boys are being forced into the
\nbusiness of prostitution because of their families' poverty, and
\nhaving little choice as how to help their family earn enough
\nmoney for food, shelter and clothing.<\/p>\n
Each day now we see, and admit, more \"drug addicts\" into
\nYayasan Harapan Permata Hati Kita. We verify more drug addicts
\nare becoming infected with HIV\/AIDS and hepatitis each time we
\n\"blood test\" these young addicts. We hear stories of more and
\nmore young people turning to drugs for recreation and escape from
\nthe pressures and stresses of their everyday lives.<\/p>\n
Poverty always creates more addicts, plus addiction coproduces
\nmany drug dealers, much more crime and violence. Today, addicts
\nare spreading the HIV\/AIDS and hepatitis viruses at alarming
\nrates throughout Indonesia.<\/p>\n
We forecast losing a million plus young people to addiction,
\nHIV\/AIDS and hepatitis over the first coming years of the new
\nmillennium.<\/p>\n
Mr. Woodhouse and minister Hasanuddin are heartfully correct,
\n\"we must do something now to save the children of Indonesia\". A
\nunited effort must be undertaken to battle poverty, addiction,
\nHIV\/AIDS and hepatitis. We have little time to waste if we
\nsincerely do not wish to lose a generation of our young people,
\nor have a generation of lost children roaming the streets of
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
DAVID and JOYCE DJAELANI GORDON<\/p>\n
Program Directors - Yayasan<\/p>\n
Harapan Permata Hati Kita<\/p>\n
Bogor, West Java<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/a-generation-of-lost-children-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }