Article #29 in the YCC Kids Club Ghana Student Life Stories Project
The Extreme Poverty I Have Witnessed
By Shulammite McCarthy
In Cross-Culture Class, we are studying the Millennium Development Goals for ending extreme poverty. But what does “Extreme Poverty” really look like?
I once was in a class with a twelve year old girl named Agbenorxevi who was intelligent as a squirrel. She was beautiful and so brilliant that everybody in the town liked her beauty and didn’t ever tire of looking at her.
But unfortunately for this beautiful princess, her parents were very poor. Nobody liked them in the community because in the night they went around asking people for food, which made people insult them. It was not because the parents could not work that people insulted them, but because of how dirty they were. People didn’t even want to see them on their side of the street.
Since Agbenorxevi came to the school, she had never written exams before because she couldn’t afford to pay her examination fees. Teachers hated her because she never got soap to bathe and wash her uniform. Out of ignorance, we laughed at her and called her names because she didn’t have notebooks to write in and her uniform looked like a dirty rag.
One day, I called Agbenorxevi over to ask her the reason why she was looking and acting this way in school. When she told me her horrible situation of living in extreme poverty, my face showed pure shock. Since she revealed her suffering, I decided to start buying her food, and sometimes even gave her books that had been bought by my family for me.
But what disturbed me so much was this: even my own parents did not like Agbenorxevi’s family. My mother and father said such bad things about them, and when I tried to convince my family that this girl needed help, they wouldn’t listen.
Then one day, Agbenorxevi came to school crying bitterly. When I asked her the reason, she said that the heavy rain that had fallen that month had beat her family down and made them sick, and she had lost her parents because of that.
Agbenorxevi became sick that same day. The next day I went to where her family had been sleeping and asked a woman if my classmate was all right.
“The girl has died,” the woman replied, “right there on the street.”
I wept bitterly, and vowed to never forget my poor friend.
In Ewe, the name “Agbenorxevi” means: “We have suffered, but we still have feathers to fly” or, “Even if we are poor, one day it shall be well with us.” But those living in Extreme Poverty cannot make it all well without some of us helping.
What I witnessed with Agbenorxevi broke my heart and made me begin to understand the meaning of “Extreme Poverty”. Extreme Poverty kills. So I urge every living soul, especially my colleagues, the youths: Let us wake up from our sleeping and come together to drive poverty out of the world forever!
Lillie’s Note: Please leave Shulammite a comment on her powerful article, stating your geographical location!
Hello, Shulammite. We are English teachers from Brazil. Our students read your article and wanted to say a few words to you…
“Hi Shulammite, we are students and we read your post. We would like to show you our feelings for the lost of your friend. We hope that the situation change and you continue encouraging people to wake up from their sleep.”
“We are sorry for your lost. We are very sad for the situation that you have witnessed and we wish that everything get better in your contry. We hope you have power to continue your long walk and never give up to help the people in need. We are thankful because of what you have been through and shared with us we learnt to help people.”
“Unfortunately in the world we live life has been banalized because of the dishumanization. Hugs.”
“Shulammite, your experience was amazing. You were able to look to yourself and change your way of acting and thinking, showing the world that we are able to transform and help the others. God bless you. Kisses. xoxo.”
“We want to congratulat you for your initiative and for your comotion in relation to your classmate. Also for your worthy and human attitude because unfortunately, people do not have this feeling of solidarity anymore by loving their closed one.”
We all thank you for your words…God bless you.
Sincerely,
Teachers and High school students from Colégio Estadual Vicente Rijo, Londrina, Brazil.
The actions that this young man took are inspirational. I am glad that he helped out a classmate in need, most people would not even bother to do this because they didn’t want to get bullied by their other classmates. This article makes me want to become a better person because I know that I am not always the best person I can be.
I’m so sorry for your loss Shulammite : ( It just goes to show that you really can’t judge a book by it’s cover, and you shouldn’t be mean to people because you never know what’s going on in thier life. But I thought it was very mature of you to finally try to figure out what was wrong with her and trying to get to know her better. I also thought it was kind of you to give her some of your belongings, such as your books. At least she had one good friend before she passed away ; ) and it was you!
Oh Shulammite, I am so sorry for your loss. It really hurts when you lose a friend. I bet she was so beautiful and kind, too. Shame on those kids who laughed at her and called her names. Poor girl. Again, I’m so sorry. I am so inspired. Thank you.
Wow. I can’t believe even her parents hated Agbenorxevi and her family! They should have offered to help. Just because Agbenorxevi’s family is poor doesn’t mean they have to be despised by everyone. Shulammite’s parents should think about how they would feel if they were poor and hated by everyone.
Im touched
i wished i could of helped out to.
After reading this article, I became very sad and emotional. It’s very upsetting to see how other people in the world live and how they had to deal with it. This story was very touching.
This article is a heartwarming one. It made me sad
That is so sad it’s horrible how people treated your friend and her family in the United there isn’t extreme property like that it makes me very appreciative of what I have
Hello Shulamit. Your story about your poor classmate Agbenorxevi who was suffering from extreme poverty is very sad and moving to me. I live in Boca Raton, Florida, in the USA, where we don’t see that kind of extreme poverty. But it breaks my heart that so many African children are subjected to the horrific cruelty of extreme poverty. You depicted well both the economic and the psychological impact of poverty upon the poor children who suffer from social ostracism because of their family’s economic status. I am so sorry that your friend Agbenorxevi died from poverty. You helped to shine a light on human suffering that most of all would rather forget. Thanks for your compasssion and sharing your moving, heart-breaking story.
Shulammite,
What a very heartbreaking story. I’m very proud of you for showing such kindness to Agbenorxevi even when so many others refused to do so. I’m sure anyone who reads your story will be reluctant to treat anyone so poorly in the future, no matter their situation. Thank you so much for sharing your story with us. I have learned a lot from it.
Kwabla (Connecticut, USA)
Yes, Agbenorxevi, if everything is gone, it still has it’s feathers. The story is touching , is real is happening in the parts of our world, the fact that you don’t see or experience it does not mean that is not happening,ie their and killing some people, lets chase poverty out of this beautiful world.
Lillie M. said…
I just found out from my Ghana colleague, Collins, that the girl in the ninth photo down in the article I wrote about his school, http://www.aroundtheworldl.com/2010/02/school-youd-likely-never-see.html just fell ill and passed away. Shulammite’s words are wise: Development is a matter of life and death.
April 4, 2010 12:36 AM
Leigh Anderton said…
This was a sad story of how people are frightened of those that are different than those around them. How instead of assisting they may shun them. I live in New Zealand.
April 4, 2010 6:43 AM
jaque eller said…
I liked so much your blog, is very interesting!
I follow you, ok!
April 4, 2010 5:14 PM
César Valentim said…
What a deep article, very sad and true.
April 4, 2010 7:15 PM
OyaSophia said…
Noone should have to die the way your school mate did. Noone should have to see what you have seen. I thank you for your story. I predict that you are going to do great things during your lifetime. Shalom!
Catherine, in Memphis, Tennessee, USA
April 4, 2010 7:35 PM
geetlee said…
Hi,
This is a beautifully written article. Thank you for opening my eyes to reality.
Gitanjali
Mumbai, India
April 5, 2010 10:37 AM
Rock Me Twice said…
Beautiful text! I live in Norway, the best country to live in, UN says. It’s aweful to hear about people unfortunate enough to be borned into powerty..
April 12, 2010 3:17 PM