Editorial in The Mercury, April 6, 2011 Page 11, South Africa

This is an editorial in the local SA newspaper.  A good explanation of why iThemba exists and what we are hoping and praying will change with the kids we are supporting. 

Setting an Example

We are wont to bemoan the high levels of crime and general lawlessness; this week we found out why.  Experts can point to unemployment and lack of hope, but it took the South African Institute of Race Relations to tell us something that in truth we already knew.

The harsh reality is the incredible prevalence of broken families, where the parents are divorced and in a state of feud with one another; where the parents are actually the grandparents or uncles or aunts; and families which might be physically together but in which there is no love, fidelity or support.

This is not a class-based phenomenon; it is not something that happens in poor families; it happens everywhere.

The net result is that the role models for today’s youth are flawed like never before- if they are still around.

With parents setting this kind of example, why should we be surprised that our youth are promiscuous, irresponsible, and abusive?

With a lack of basic nurturing, education and support, they will inevitably join the ranks of the unemployed.  Against this backdrop, turning to crime would seem the logical escape route.

The largest contributor to most family ills is undoubtedly poverty.  However, being poor should not be an excuse for child abuse.

Only a third of our children grow up living with both parents, nearly 1 million have lost both parents to AIDS.  Nearly half of all children grow up with fathers who are alive, but absent.

The fruits of these seeds are all too evident; 50,000 schoolgirls fell pregnant in 2007.  Youth unemployment stands at 61 percent, while a third of our prison population is under 25.  And 3.3 million young people are neither being educated nor trained or even employed.

These damning statistics tell a story of a society that is headed for destruction.

As a society we clearly need to focus a lot more attention on moral regeneration, family planning and sex education issues.  As it stands, we should be truly ashamed of ourselves.

 Editorial in The Mercury, April 6, 2011 Page 11, South Africa