BREAK THE CHAINS OF OPPRESION AND THE YOKE OF ...

Pov erty
our doorstep as relatively poor, because with reference to the world as a whole
any one who has less than $1 per day at her or his disposal counts as absolutely
poor.
The children in Germany are relatively poor.
But this in itself is bitter: Their poverty is frequently not recognized as such.
Here, however, the reasons for poverty are obvious. The most important causes:
job problems such as (long-term) unemployment, low incomes, Hartz IV dependence,
and social problems such as excessive debts, separation/divorce or
handicap/illness. Of these it is above all immigrants, single parents and families
with many children who are affected. Poor children have poor parents. And if
nothing happens they remain poor.
Relatively arm – these are children whose parents cannot afford lunch in the daynursery
ofr in all-day schools; children who come to school in winter wearing sandals
and thin coats; children who, in their shame, hide the fact that they cannot afford
the class-outing nor private tuition; not to mention visits to the cinema, piano
lessons, riding or ballet; children whose parents are so preoccupied with the
daily battle and frustration that they no longer have any loving care left; children
who are excluded from many of the usual things in our society; children who
spend most of their free time in front of the television and are too overweight.
Poverty denies these children their rightful place in our society. That is not only
true for the present but also for the children’s prospects for their whole lives: The
connection between poverty and educational success cannot be denied. At present
it decides – and probably will to an even greater extent in the future – about
sharing on equal �terms �in the economic, � social �and community � life in society.
If nothing happens poor children remain captive in a vicious circle; no or only
an inadequate educational qualification, no training, no job, no money, no
prospects. Here one can only agree with the children: The grown-ups in church
and society must do something!
People who give poor children practical help and tackle their situation will at
some point meet their own fears of impending poverty. Is one’s own family income
sufficient to support one’s own children in a satisfactory way? How secure
is one’s own job? Are provisions for old age and health insurance enough to
guard against social relegation? The newspapers report that the middle class is
crumbling. This raises fears even in our congregations and also among those who
work in the church and social welfare organizations.
This fear of social relegation is in the meantime almost omnipresent in our society.
It prevents people from approaching the children affected in a respectful way
and this hinders the necessary change in attitude.
Engagement against child poverty demands that one tackles this fear. Where so-
�������������������������������������
� � � � � � � ����������������
�
– AGAINST CHILD POVERTY –
197