Street Children

Street Children â€Å"People don't love us,† says Tigiste, a 12 years old street girl from Addis Ababa. A small example of how these kids suffer everyday, as Tigiste, there are many kids like her all over the world. One of these countries that has a huge problem in this issue is Egypt. But who is a street kid? how can we classify these children by that name? and what is the number of them? â€Å"A street child is defined as any boy or girl for whom the street in the widest sense of the word has become his or her habitual abode and/or source of livelihood, and who is inadequately protected, supervised, or directed by responsible adults† (ESCWA).Omneya Ragab, writer in Al-Ahram weekly says, â€Å"Among the estimated tens of thousands children in street situations, 65% escape family problems, 30% are out in the streets to earn money for themselves and their families while 23% are forced to leave by family members. It is estimated that the number of these children is range d between 200,000 and 2,000,000. You can find them sleeping on pavements, standing at traffic, shining shoes, selling newspapers or notice them under bridges. The main cause of this phenomenon is poverty.Although there are not reliable studies, but it is assumed that â€Å"the percentage of those living on less than $1 a day is 3. 4 % while the percentage of those living on less than $2 a day is 42. 8 %†(ESCWA). Other causes are : violence, an old thought that a child has to work at an early age and stop education and falling preys for employers, a member in family or by their peers. Effects are clearly observed as this resulted to depending on charity, sexual abuse and continuing of a series of violence in general and illness.So, this essay will demonstrate the causes of this problem, then the effects in details and how can this problem be solved tackling some projects that are already done to face this. So as to analyze any problem we should know its cause which will lead u s to understand its effects in a better way. A life of a child is at stake, everyday these innocent kids are exposed to danger. First it comes from family, which circumstances affects them and lead to uncontrollability in actions whether from a member of a family or by any sudden unexpected event, like the one that happened at AL Dewe'a or by losing contact with the parents including death.This could result in displacement of these children were they can't find a place or shelter except under a bridge, infront of mosques or in any public place like gardens for example. Also, another cause is, the deprivation of education. Based on the Egyptian 2006 census, â€Å"the percentage of children between 6 and 18 years who never enrolled or who have dropped out of basic education was 14. 7 %, amounting to around three million children. The gross enrolment rate of children in basic, secondary and tertiary levels was 76. %†. It was found that the main causes of that is the violence the y suffer at home, school or at work; which lead afterwards that parents urge them to work only because that is more profitable and gives instant cash flows. The problem is that the child becomes fed up and start to search for the prefered environment but finds that in the street which is an exit to change their lives. Yet they suffer more violence with a constant feeling of insecurity; from older street children, abusive community members or from the police.So they are urged to submit, whether it was for an employer who could be an older street child or to the police and in both ways they will feel pain and humiliation. This can be by abuse, rape or other ways of torture. According to Human Rights Watch, police beatings are purely punitive or correctional in approach: in other words, they are used to â€Å"teach the children a lesson†! And by the street children you can find the worse as sexual violence may lead to unwanted pregnancies for girls and extreme injuries for both genders. Street Children [pic] NAME OF CANDIDATE: CENTER #: CANDIDATE #: TERITORY: JAMAICA YEAR: 2013 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM Street children in my community ? What are the factors that influence children to live on the streets? ? What are the measures that can be taken to get them into homes/places of safety? RESEARCH QUESTIONS 1. What are the factors that influence children to live on the streets? 2. What are the effects of living on the streets affects these children? 3. What are the measures that can be taken to get street children off the streets? METHOD OF INVESTIGATION The method of investigation chosen is the questionnaire.The questionnaire as chosen as a tool for collecting information because of a number of advantages they are: 1. It requires less time to be completed. 2. It is highly confidential since no name is required. 3. It can be done base on the person’s schedule. REASON FOR SELECTING AREA OF RESEARCH The area in which the research will be done is the down town area. The reason for sele cting this particular area is as a result of the high rate of street children on the streets of down town. It was observed that these children have been on the street on several occasions. I want to explore the causes and effects of their phenomena.PROCEDURES FOR DATA COLLECTION In the area of Down Town Kingston there are thousands of different streets. Some of which are more crowded with street children than others. There was a minimum of 1 street children present on these streets and a maximum of 2. In the less crowded streets of the area, 10 street children were present respectively, questionnaires were given to each. On the streets which were less crowded 6 males were present and 4 females, their ages from 10-17 years. On the street that was more crowded, 16 males and 4 females present their ages also ranged from 10-17 years.When approached and asked if they would complete the questionnaire some demanded money while others immediately agreed, no one refused. Some needed little o r no help. 30 questionnaires were issued, all of which were complete and returned immediately to the researcher who waited on them patiently. When they were finished and counted 8 females and 22 males actually completed the questionnaires. DATA ANALYSIS Street children, where is their place in society? Red Rat, a local DJ aptly describes Jamaicans view on the home of street children when he sang that they â€Å"No Live Nuh Wey†.His song also highlights the hardship experienced by children, the activities they get involved in and their aspirations. This project then, seeks to answer two main questions: 1. Why are these children living on the streets of my community? 2. What are the measures that can be taken to get street children off the streets? In order to provide a comprehensive answer to these two questions, the project will first look at the major cause of this phenomenon, urbanization. It will then look at the spatial location of street children in my community and in K ingston.The focus will then move to who they are, why they are on the streets and the activities in which they are engaged. It will also examine how effective institutions are in meeting the needs of the children. This is done in an attempt to determine whether or not there is hope for these children. This project will conclude by making suggestions on how to give hope to street children. Waugh, (2000), describes urbanization as the process by which an increasing proportion of the total population, usually of a country, lives in towns and cities. This growth is due to natural increase and to a larger extent rural-urban migration.Map 1,page 2, shows that the most densely populated parishes are in the areas of the Kingston Metropolitan Region, which includes Kingston, St. Andrew and St. Catherine, (Census 2001). Urbanization in these areas has placed stress on the available resources and has led to overcrowding, which in turn has led to several problems. These include shortages of hou ses and the development of slums/ghettos, crime and violence, unemployment and underemployment and the incidence of street people specifically, children. The stance of this project is that street children are victims of urbanization.Agnelli, 1986 confirms our stance when he wrote that the phenomenon of street children is urban in nature, as there are no rural street children. Map 2, page 3, further confirms this. [pic] [pic] The writer of this project define Street children as those children who are under the age of seventeen years who live or work on the streets as a regular daily activity. This is endorsed by Lusk et. al (1992) in an article entitled Children in need, described street children as any child for whom the street has become his or her habitual abode and /or source of livelihood, and who is inadequately protected, supervised, or directed by adults.In an interview with a social worker, the profile of a street child was outlined; he mistrust people, he enjoys his indepen dence, he tends to be rebellious, he dislikes authoritarianism or ridged control, he can be rehabilitated, he can cope under difficult circumstances and he is nomadic. The writers of this article indicated that there are three categories of street children: Children on the streets – are those who still have links with families and attend school, but work on the streets outside of school hours.Children of the streets – are those whose links with the family are remote and who consider the street to be their home. Abandoned children – are those who are completely on their own and have no links with their families. Numerous reasons have been given to explain the presence of the children on the roads. A Gleaner article of August 23, 2011 highlighted three reasons: It claimed that some children are orphaned as their parents were killed in shooting sprees in the inner city areas, some parents have migrated and have left them in the care of uncaring relatives, friends a nd older siblings.In another article found in the Sunday Gleaner on August 25, 2011, the writer quoted the former project coordinator of Wings, in saying that the boys were put out of their homes by their parents, and that some were coerced into the streets because of overcrowded homes. In another article found in the Gleaner on March 15, 2002, the writer critically stated that the children were on the streets because they were either truants from the school system or a product of dysfunctional families.From our research, we have found that a typical street child is a 12-year-old boy from a female- headed household, the average size of which is five persons, where his guardian either is unemployed or marginally employed. The responses from the questionnaire regarding the reason for their absence from school suggest that socio-economic deprivation is indeed a major factor. Some even responded sayings that they were forced peddle wares on the streets to supplement the family’s income; others were suspended or expelled from school, while there were a few who stated that there was no reason.Irregular school attendance for those who are actually enrolled into a school is a popular feature found among the street children interviewed. Many went to school only three days per week; using the remaining days of the week to perform their personal activities. For those who were absent from school only once or twice per week, Thursday and Friday were their preferred days to be absent. This they stated enabled them to go to the market to beg and or sell. Thursday is the wholesale day in the major retail market and Friday being payday, is a popular market day for workers in the urban centres.These days proved to be most profitable for these child labourers as they earn much of their money transporting goods for the shoppers. Based on the responses of the children from the questionnaire, it is possible to assess and determine the main â€Å"push factors† which ha s inevitably resulted in them being on the street. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE INCREASING NUMBER OF STREET CHILDREN 11% 30%State 19% 33% Parents Abusers Peers 7%Severe Poverty Push Factors a) The state – Overcrowding of the educational or childcare system is the primary cause for movement of the children from the institutions provided.The state neglects their responsibilities by not adequately funding these institutions. The signs were evident in the inner city schools visited where the teacher – pupil ratio is about 1:60. In addition, the lack of desk and chairs, stationery and other vital equipment causes discomfort for the students and teachers. b) The consequences of the actions of parents such as neglect, migration or directly sending their children out on the streets, forces them to fend for themselves hence causing child labour. ) Physical, sexual or emotional abuse, caused by parents or guardians usually leads to the child running away from home and thereby bei ng forced into child labour d) Peer pressure –The feeling of inadequacy at school discourages then from wanting to learn, especially if they are being teased and ridiculed and hence they are push into child labour. e) Severe poverty – The children are forced unto the streets to supplement the inadequate income of the household, often following the laying off from work of the primary caregiver. ) Those who enter into child labour primarily of their own volition, in order to help out their parents or to become more independent themselves; and g) Those entering as a direct result of family crisis like the illness or death of the primary caregiver. Pull Factors A. â€Å"Pop Culture† influences children, in that it dictates the clothing and styles to be worn in order for them to be considered fashionable. When children of a poor socio economic background see their friends in the latest fashions, living a carefree life without any responsibilities this entices them to want to follow this trend.However due to their poor financial circumstances they are unable to afford these trends, hence leading them to go out and fend or work for themselves in an attempt to afford these styles. B. In a paper published by David Dunkley’s on February 11, 1999, Turf wars were cited as one of the reasons for boys not returning home at nights. From having spoken to street children ourselves, we saw that this was in fact one of the reasons many felt they could not return home at nights and so remained on the streets, as they feared for their lives.Others received money, protection and the needed support from the â€Å"don† (local area leader), who used them as carriers for their illicit wares. On interviewing these children, we also realized that a few of them had behavioral problems. It was found that the children, who exhibited extreme forms of behavioral problems, were from larger families with one or no parent and were the ones who were particularly into sporadic school attendance. They were the ones who were also from depressed communities where overcrowding was a problem and living conditions were poor.During our research, a child highlighted some of his reason for being on the streets. He reported that he lived in a single room house with his mother and other siblings and was forced to leave the house when his mother was â€Å"entertaining†. Another child, who resided with his grandparent, complained that he could not live with her because she was miserable and demanding. Hence he avoided going home as he disliked the living conditions and is thereby a street child. In our survey, 92% of the children were boys and they were involved in a number of activities: they pushed carts, they carried people’s luggage.They sold items for others, they bought and sold items, some went to sea and some were there just to check their â€Å"brethren†. One little boy in particular said that when he is on the street he â €Å"run up an’ down†. Not surprisingly though is the fact that the majority are involved in one or another economic activity. In fact 75% admitted to be so involved. These activities, according to these children yield great returns. In 1986 children were making a maximum of $21. 00 per day, now 75% of them made over $1000. 00 per day. One child stated that he made over $1,800. 0 per day. Seventeen percent of them were reluctant to reveal their daily earnings or simply did not know. If these figures are truly representative of what a child makes on the street, it is no wonder that they are willing to remain there regardless of the harsh treatment, which is meted out to them by the general public. It is evident that the economic pull to street life is greater now than in the 1980s and 1990s. Hence this remains a major factor for children being on the streets. When we question, â€Å"Why are these children living on the streets in my community? there are many reasons and excuses. Many are in search of love and acceptance; others see it as a means of survival or an outlet. The real question however is, â€Å"Is there hope for these children? † In answering the question, is there hope for these children, one would be tempted to give a resounding yes. But can this be justified? The plight of the street children has not been ignored by the Jamaican Government, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and International organizations. In fact, programmes have been put in place to alleviate problems of child labour in Kingston.These include RISE Life Management who plays a great role in my community, Children First, Hope for Children, The Possibility Programme, St. Andrew Care Centre, the National Initiative for Street Children (NISC), Tackle Child Labour by the International Labour Organization and the Socialization Project by the Kingston Restoration Company. Mainly the United Children Educational Foundation (UNICEF) funds many of these programmes. All of the named institutions have been established to alleviate problems of child labor and neglected children in the metropolitan area.Most of these institutions aim at giving these children institution Management provides counseling, classes and youth programs for street children in my community. Children First aims at reintroducing them into the formal school system. It reunites them with their families and monitors their attendance in the government schools. Map 3 shows their specific location in Kingston, and proximity to my community the main study area. The residence of the street children are located in mostly densely populated homes where the standard of living is low and living conditions harsh.Many of the institutions that are put in place to help them are located within the community or close by. [pic] In these institutions, a number of activities are planned for the children, some outside the classroom. All the organizations have regular school activities inclusive of Mathematics, English, Reading, Social Studies, Science, and Computing. At Children First there is a thematic teaching system in which themes are chosen by the students, for example, â€Å"Children Rights†. They also offer skills training programs such as cosmetology, barbering and photography. At NISC,Children First for example, has aided a number of students to attend universities both local and international. For example, there is a student studying medicine in Cuba, and one, at The Edna Manley School Of Art is studying to become an actor. Two-thirds of the staff is graduates of the program. Mrs. Pious, executive director of Children First has found that in order to improve the lives of the children, it is often necessary to improve the lives of the parents or guardians as well. As a result, the program has enabled many parents to start small businesses such as chicken rearing, ewing and goat rearing. At Hope for Children, students have been involved in drama. A few of thei r past productions include â€Å"Come Listen to We†, â€Å"Wicked Reality† and â€Å"Man, Woman and Child†. The street children in my community seemed very ambitious and their occupational aspirations were wide and varied. Figure 2 shows the career choice of the street children. DESIRED OCCUPATION OF THE STREET CHILDREN 10 8 6 4 2 0 OCCUPATIONS What is noticeable is that only the needs of the carpenter and the fisherman and to a lesser extent that of a truck driver are catered to by these institution.The implication of this is that if they boys are taken off the street and placed in any of these institutions, their aspirations would not be met. The formal educational institutions however could meet their goals, but they have to, to a large extent turn their backs on these institutions. One still have to wonder, is there hope for these children? What is heartening is that the children, although they were on the street, thought that education was important and tha t it was the only way for them to achieve their goals. In fact, 83% of them believe that education is important in their acquiring their career goals.It is often times said that where there is a will there is a way. Even though many of the children have the desire to attain upper socio-economic mobility, they were often times forced to attend these institutions. When the Administrators were asked about the institutionalization of the children, they indicated that few children came in voluntarily. In fact, Most of the children were sent there by parents, concerned citizens and police officers. Overall, having been forced to attend has caused them to be defiant and hostile to the programme.At Children First most of the children attend voluntarily and hence their level of success is greater. We also found from our interview that 6% of the children did not even know where the institutions were located or even that they existed. Overall, from my observation, the programmes I have studied have shown a level of success. But in light of the negative aspects, which we have observed, I recommend the following: 1. A public education programme on radio and television, which highlights why contributions should be given directly to the programmes in place instead of the children. . Implementing more self-help schemes for the parents or guardians of the street children, that is, helping them to generate a steady income. 3. Government should make the needs of street children one of its priorities. More money should be allocated to these programmes to effect changes. 4. Make the public aware of the plight of our nation’s future through the introduction of a Street Children Day in Child month and Media coverage (when people become aware, they will become sympathetic and generous). DATA COLLECTION INSTRUMENT Sample of Questionnaire 1. Gender Tick (/)Male ( )Female ( ) 2. Age 10-11 years ( )12-13 years ( )14-15 years ( )16-17 years ( ) 3. How long have you been on the stre ets? 6 months-1 year ( )2-3 years ( )4-5 years ( )6 years and over ( ) 4. When you were at home, what type of family did you live in? Single ( )Nuclear ( )Extended ( ) Other ( ) 5. Do you plan on returning home? Yes ( ) No ( ) 6. Do you like living on the street? Yes ( ) No ( ) 7. What are some of the factors that are responsible for you becoming a street child? Abandoned by parents ( )Disruptive behaviors/can’t be controlled ( )Ran away from home ( )Other ( ) 8. What was the main punishment received at home? Beating/Flogging ( )Indecent language ( )Being put to starve ( ) Other ( ) 9. What type of relationship do you have with your family now that you are on the streets? Excellent ( )Poor ( ) Fair ( ) None ( ) 10. Do you think its better being on the streets that at home? Yes ( ) No ( ) If yes why? ______________________________________________________________ 11. How do you provide for yourself on the streets? Begging ( )Stealing ( )Searching household garbage ( ) 12. Do yo u ever wish you never left home?Yes ( )No ( ) 13. How does being a street child affect you emotionally? ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ 14. How does being a street child affect your physical appearance? ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ 15. Were you in school? Yes ( )No ( ) 16. If yes what grade/form where you in? 17. Are you able to read and write? Yes ( )No ( ) 18.What are the measures that can be taken to get street children off the streets? Put them in state homes ( ) Have counseling sessions with them and put them up for adoption ( ) Establish laws to punish parents who contribute to their child being on the streets ( ) 19. Do you think the measures will work for you? Yes ( ) No ( ) Maybe ( ) 20. What can persons who wish to become parents do to avoid chil dren leaving home to live on the streets? Attend parenting sessions on how to care for the child ( ) Talk to the child/children to find out what is bothering them ( )Get involved in activities at the child school to see how well they are doing () BIBLIOGRAPHY Agnelli (1986), Street Children- A growing urban tragedy -Report for the Independent Commission on International Humanitarian Issues Boyce-Reid, k. (1993) A Report on Street Children Projects http://gvnet. com/streetchildren/Jamaica. htm David Dunkley(1999) :Street Children- effects of urbanization ———————– School Based Assessment on Street Children in my community FISHERMAN FIRE MAN CARPENTER PERCENTAGES DOCTOR BUSINESS MAN TEACHER TRUCK DRIVER BANK CLERK Stall Cart Street Children [pic] NAME OF CANDIDATE: CENTER #: CANDIDATE #: TERITORY: JAMAICA YEAR: 2013 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM Street children in my community ? What are the factors that influence children to live on the streets? ? What are the measures that can be taken to get them into homes/places of safety? RESEARCH QUESTIONS 1. What are the factors that influence children to live on the streets? 2. What are the effects of living on the streets affects these children? 3. What are the measures that can be taken to get street children off the streets? METHOD OF INVESTIGATION The method of investigation chosen is the questionnaire.The questionnaire as chosen as a tool for collecting information because of a number of advantages they are: 1. It requires less time to be completed. 2. It is highly confidential since no name is required. 3. It can be done base on the person’s schedule. REASON FOR SELECTING AREA OF RESEARCH The area in which the research will be done is the down town area. The reason for sele cting this particular area is as a result of the high rate of street children on the streets of down town. It was observed that these children have been on the street on several occasions. I want to explore the causes and effects of their phenomena.PROCEDURES FOR DATA COLLECTION In the area of Down Town Kingston there are thousands of different streets. Some of which are more crowded with street children than others. There was a minimum of 1 street children present on these streets and a maximum of 2. In the less crowded streets of the area, 10 street children were present respectively, questionnaires were given to each. On the streets which were less crowded 6 males were present and 4 females, their ages from 10-17 years. On the street that was more crowded, 16 males and 4 females present their ages also ranged from 10-17 years.When approached and asked if they would complete the questionnaire some demanded money while others immediately agreed, no one refused. Some needed little o r no help. 30 questionnaires were issued, all of which were complete and returned immediately to the researcher who waited on them patiently. When they were finished and counted 8 females and 22 males actually completed the questionnaires. DATA ANALYSIS Street children, where is their place in society? Red Rat, a local DJ aptly describes Jamaicans view on the home of street children when he sang that they â€Å"No Live Nuh Wey†.His song also highlights the hardship experienced by children, the activities they get involved in and their aspirations. This project then, seeks to answer two main questions: 1. Why are these children living on the streets of my community? 2. What are the measures that can be taken to get street children off the streets? In order to provide a comprehensive answer to these two questions, the project will first look at the major cause of this phenomenon, urbanization. It will then look at the spatial location of street children in my community and in K ingston.The focus will then move to who they are, why they are on the streets and the activities in which they are engaged. It will also examine how effective institutions are in meeting the needs of the children. This is done in an attempt to determine whether or not there is hope for these children. This project will conclude by making suggestions on how to give hope to street children. Waugh, (2000), describes urbanization as the process by which an increasing proportion of the total population, usually of a country, lives in towns and cities. This growth is due to natural increase and to a larger extent rural-urban migration.Map 1,page 2, shows that the most densely populated parishes are in the areas of the Kingston Metropolitan Region, which includes Kingston, St. Andrew and St. Catherine, (Census 2001). Urbanization in these areas has placed stress on the available resources and has led to overcrowding, which in turn has led to several problems. These include shortages of hou ses and the development of slums/ghettos, crime and violence, unemployment and underemployment and the incidence of street people specifically, children. The stance of this project is that street children are victims of urbanization.Agnelli, 1986 confirms our stance when he wrote that the phenomenon of street children is urban in nature, as there are no rural street children. Map 2, page 3, further confirms this. [pic] [pic] The writer of this project define Street children as those children who are under the age of seventeen years who live or work on the streets as a regular daily activity. This is endorsed by Lusk et. al (1992) in an article entitled Children in need, described street children as any child for whom the street has become his or her habitual abode and /or source of livelihood, and who is inadequately protected, supervised, or directed by adults.In an interview with a social worker, the profile of a street child was outlined; he mistrust people, he enjoys his indepen dence, he tends to be rebellious, he dislikes authoritarianism or ridged control, he can be rehabilitated, he can cope under difficult circumstances and he is nomadic. The writers of this article indicated that there are three categories of street children: Children on the streets – are those who still have links with families and attend school, but work on the streets outside of school hours.Children of the streets – are those whose links with the family are remote and who consider the street to be their home. Abandoned children – are those who are completely on their own and have no links with their families. Numerous reasons have been given to explain the presence of the children on the roads. A Gleaner article of August 23, 2011 highlighted three reasons: It claimed that some children are orphaned as their parents were killed in shooting sprees in the inner city areas, some parents have migrated and have left them in the care of uncaring relatives, friends a nd older siblings.In another article found in the Sunday Gleaner on August 25, 2011, the writer quoted the former project coordinator of Wings, in saying that the boys were put out of their homes by their parents, and that some were coerced into the streets because of overcrowded homes. In another article found in the Gleaner on March 15, 2002, the writer critically stated that the children were on the streets because they were either truants from the school system or a product of dysfunctional families.From our research, we have found that a typical street child is a 12-year-old boy from a female- headed household, the average size of which is five persons, where his guardian either is unemployed or marginally employed. The responses from the questionnaire regarding the reason for their absence from school suggest that socio-economic deprivation is indeed a major factor. Some even responded sayings that they were forced peddle wares on the streets to supplement the family’s income; others were suspended or expelled from school, while there were a few who stated that there was no reason.Irregular school attendance for those who are actually enrolled into a school is a popular feature found among the street children interviewed. Many went to school only three days per week; using the remaining days of the week to perform their personal activities. For those who were absent from school only once or twice per week, Thursday and Friday were their preferred days to be absent. This they stated enabled them to go to the market to beg and or sell. Thursday is the wholesale day in the major retail market and Friday being payday, is a popular market day for workers in the urban centres.These days proved to be most profitable for these child labourers as they earn much of their money transporting goods for the shoppers. Based on the responses of the children from the questionnaire, it is possible to assess and determine the main â€Å"push factors† which ha s inevitably resulted in them being on the street. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE INCREASING NUMBER OF STREET CHILDREN 11% 30%State 19% 33% Parents Abusers Peers 7%Severe Poverty Push Factors a) The state – Overcrowding of the educational or childcare system is the primary cause for movement of the children from the institutions provided.The state neglects their responsibilities by not adequately funding these institutions. The signs were evident in the inner city schools visited where the teacher – pupil ratio is about 1:60. In addition, the lack of desk and chairs, stationery and other vital equipment causes discomfort for the students and teachers. b) The consequences of the actions of parents such as neglect, migration or directly sending their children out on the streets, forces them to fend for themselves hence causing child labour. ) Physical, sexual or emotional abuse, caused by parents or guardians usually leads to the child running away from home and thereby bei ng forced into child labour d) Peer pressure –The feeling of inadequacy at school discourages then from wanting to learn, especially if they are being teased and ridiculed and hence they are push into child labour. e) Severe poverty – The children are forced unto the streets to supplement the inadequate income of the household, often following the laying off from work of the primary caregiver. ) Those who enter into child labour primarily of their own volition, in order to help out their parents or to become more independent themselves; and g) Those entering as a direct result of family crisis like the illness or death of the primary caregiver. Pull Factors A. â€Å"Pop Culture† influences children, in that it dictates the clothing and styles to be worn in order for them to be considered fashionable. When children of a poor socio economic background see their friends in the latest fashions, living a carefree life without any responsibilities this entices them to want to follow this trend.However due to their poor financial circumstances they are unable to afford these trends, hence leading them to go out and fend or work for themselves in an attempt to afford these styles. B. In a paper published by David Dunkley’s on February 11, 1999, Turf wars were cited as one of the reasons for boys not returning home at nights. From having spoken to street children ourselves, we saw that this was in fact one of the reasons many felt they could not return home at nights and so remained on the streets, as they feared for their lives.Others received money, protection and the needed support from the â€Å"don† (local area leader), who used them as carriers for their illicit wares. On interviewing these children, we also realized that a few of them had behavioral problems. It was found that the children, who exhibited extreme forms of behavioral problems, were from larger families with one or no parent and were the ones who were particularly into sporadic school attendance. They were the ones who were also from depressed communities where overcrowding was a problem and living conditions were poor.During our research, a child highlighted some of his reason for being on the streets. He reported that he lived in a single room house with his mother and other siblings and was forced to leave the house when his mother was â€Å"entertaining†. Another child, who resided with his grandparent, complained that he could not live with her because she was miserable and demanding. Hence he avoided going home as he disliked the living conditions and is thereby a street child. In our survey, 92% of the children were boys and they were involved in a number of activities: they pushed carts, they carried people’s luggage.They sold items for others, they bought and sold items, some went to sea and some were there just to check their â€Å"brethren†. One little boy in particular said that when he is on the street he â €Å"run up an’ down†. Not surprisingly though is the fact that the majority are involved in one or another economic activity. In fact 75% admitted to be so involved. These activities, according to these children yield great returns. In 1986 children were making a maximum of $21. 00 per day, now 75% of them made over $1000. 00 per day. One child stated that he made over $1,800. 0 per day. Seventeen percent of them were reluctant to reveal their daily earnings or simply did not know. If these figures are truly representative of what a child makes on the street, it is no wonder that they are willing to remain there regardless of the harsh treatment, which is meted out to them by the general public. It is evident that the economic pull to street life is greater now than in the 1980s and 1990s. Hence this remains a major factor for children being on the streets. When we question, â€Å"Why are these children living on the streets in my community? there are many reasons and excuses. Many are in search of love and acceptance; others see it as a means of survival or an outlet. The real question however is, â€Å"Is there hope for these children? † In answering the question, is there hope for these children, one would be tempted to give a resounding yes. But can this be justified? The plight of the street children has not been ignored by the Jamaican Government, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and International organizations. In fact, programmes have been put in place to alleviate problems of child labour in Kingston.These include RISE Life Management who plays a great role in my community, Children First, Hope for Children, The Possibility Programme, St. Andrew Care Centre, the National Initiative for Street Children (NISC), Tackle Child Labour by the International Labour Organization and the Socialization Project by the Kingston Restoration Company. Mainly the United Children Educational Foundation (UNICEF) funds many of these programmes. All of the named institutions have been established to alleviate problems of child labor and neglected children in the metropolitan area.Most of these institutions aim at giving these children institution Management provides counseling, classes and youth programs for street children in my community. Children First aims at reintroducing them into the formal school system. It reunites them with their families and monitors their attendance in the government schools. Map 3 shows their specific location in Kingston, and proximity to my community the main study area. The residence of the street children are located in mostly densely populated homes where the standard of living is low and living conditions harsh.Many of the institutions that are put in place to help them are located within the community or close by. [pic] In these institutions, a number of activities are planned for the children, some outside the classroom. All the organizations have regular school activities inclusive of Mathematics, English, Reading, Social Studies, Science, and Computing. At Children First there is a thematic teaching system in which themes are chosen by the students, for example, â€Å"Children Rights†. They also offer skills training programs such as cosmetology, barbering and photography. At NISC,Children First for example, has aided a number of students to attend universities both local and international. For example, there is a student studying medicine in Cuba, and one, at The Edna Manley School Of Art is studying to become an actor. Two-thirds of the staff is graduates of the program. Mrs. Pious, executive director of Children First has found that in order to improve the lives of the children, it is often necessary to improve the lives of the parents or guardians as well. As a result, the program has enabled many parents to start small businesses such as chicken rearing, ewing and goat rearing. At Hope for Children, students have been involved in drama. A few of thei r past productions include â€Å"Come Listen to We†, â€Å"Wicked Reality† and â€Å"Man, Woman and Child†. The street children in my community seemed very ambitious and their occupational aspirations were wide and varied. Figure 2 shows the career choice of the street children. DESIRED OCCUPATION OF THE STREET CHILDREN 10 8 6 4 2 0 OCCUPATIONS What is noticeable is that only the needs of the carpenter and the fisherman and to a lesser extent that of a truck driver are catered to by these institution.The implication of this is that if they boys are taken off the street and placed in any of these institutions, their aspirations would not be met. The formal educational institutions however could meet their goals, but they have to, to a large extent turn their backs on these institutions. One still have to wonder, is there hope for these children? What is heartening is that the children, although they were on the street, thought that education was important and tha t it was the only way for them to achieve their goals. In fact, 83% of them believe that education is important in their acquiring their career goals.It is often times said that where there is a will there is a way. Even though many of the children have the desire to attain upper socio-economic mobility, they were often times forced to attend these institutions. When the Administrators were asked about the institutionalization of the children, they indicated that few children came in voluntarily. In fact, Most of the children were sent there by parents, concerned citizens and police officers. Overall, having been forced to attend has caused them to be defiant and hostile to the programme.At Children First most of the children attend voluntarily and hence their level of success is greater. We also found from our interview that 6% of the children did not even know where the institutions were located or even that they existed. Overall, from my observation, the programmes I have studied have shown a level of success. But in light of the negative aspects, which we have observed, I recommend the following: 1. A public education programme on radio and television, which highlights why contributions should be given directly to the programmes in place instead of the children. . Implementing more self-help schemes for the parents or guardians of the street children, that is, helping them to generate a steady income. 3. Government should make the needs of street children one of its priorities. More money should be allocated to these programmes to effect changes. 4. Make the public aware of the plight of our nation’s future through the introduction of a Street Children Day in Child month and Media coverage (when people become aware, they will become sympathetic and generous). DATA COLLECTION INSTRUMENT Sample of Questionnaire 1. Gender Tick (/)Male ( )Female ( ) 2. Age 10-11 years ( )12-13 years ( )14-15 years ( )16-17 years ( ) 3. How long have you been on the stre ets? 6 months-1 year ( )2-3 years ( )4-5 years ( )6 years and over ( ) 4. When you were at home, what type of family did you live in? Single ( )Nuclear ( )Extended ( ) Other ( ) 5. Do you plan on returning home? Yes ( ) No ( ) 6. Do you like living on the street? Yes ( ) No ( ) 7. What are some of the factors that are responsible for you becoming a street child? Abandoned by parents ( )Disruptive behaviors/can’t be controlled ( )Ran away from home ( )Other ( ) 8. What was the main punishment received at home? Beating/Flogging ( )Indecent language ( )Being put to starve ( ) Other ( ) 9. What type of relationship do you have with your family now that you are on the streets? Excellent ( )Poor ( ) Fair ( ) None ( ) 10. Do you think its better being on the streets that at home? Yes ( ) No ( ) If yes why? ______________________________________________________________ 11. How do you provide for yourself on the streets? Begging ( )Stealing ( )Searching household garbage ( ) 12. Do yo u ever wish you never left home?Yes ( )No ( ) 13. How does being a street child affect you emotionally? ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ 14. How does being a street child affect your physical appearance? ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ 15. Were you in school? Yes ( )No ( ) 16. If yes what grade/form where you in? 17. Are you able to read and write? Yes ( )No ( ) 18.What are the measures that can be taken to get street children off the streets? Put them in state homes ( ) Have counseling sessions with them and put them up for adoption ( ) Establish laws to punish parents who contribute to their child being on the streets ( ) 19. Do you think the measures will work for you? Yes ( ) No ( ) Maybe ( ) 20. What can persons who wish to become parents do to avoid chil dren leaving home to live on the streets? Attend parenting sessions on how to care for the child ( ) Talk to the child/children to find out what is bothering them ( )Get involved in activities at the child school to see how well they are doing () BIBLIOGRAPHY Agnelli (1986), Street Children- A growing urban tragedy -Report for the Independent Commission on International Humanitarian Issues Boyce-Reid, k. (1993) A Report on Street Children Projects http://gvnet. com/streetchildren/Jamaica. htm David Dunkley(1999) :Street Children- effects of urbanization ———————– School Based Assessment on Street Children in my community FISHERMAN FIRE MAN CARPENTER PERCENTAGES DOCTOR BUSINESS MAN TEACHER TRUCK DRIVER BANK CLERK Stall Cart

Analyzing Pro Forma Statements Essay

XYZ Inc. In order to create an initiative for growth, an analysis of the company’s short term and long term financing needs are assessed to determine strategies for the company to manage working capital. The suggested initiative to increase XYZ Company, Inc. revenue over the next five years is by acquiring assets through a merger with UVW Company to produce more of product X. Companies must be able to manage growth either through the acquisition of assets or through the capital budgeting process. Through the acquisition of assets, external financing will be required. Growing quickly will allow XYZ Company to gain a larger market share and reinforce its viable position in the marketplace. Expanding too rapidly can have consequences. If the company has too much debt-financing and cash flows are reduced the company will risk being unable to repay its debts. Management must ensure the business can grow, what funding may be needed, and determine the sustainable growth rate. Pro Forma A pro forma statement is a method of calculating financial results to emphasize projected figures for a company. A pro forma is intended to give investors a clear view of company operations. For XYZ Company, the pro forma statements will reflect the merger with UVW to produce more of their best-selling products and adding a list of new ones. Management expects sales and costs to increase by 20 percent for the coming year. Forty-one percent of total liabilities for the company are loans payable to stockholders; therefore management is reluctant to create additional financing through debt. The company will finance the merger through sale of stocks, and liquidation of excess equipment because cash on hand is relatively small. The merger will allow unnecessary extra equipment and inventory to also be sold to finance the new, united company. Though the merger will increase sales, operating costs are also expected to rise to  meet the demand for the next five years. A substantial financial reason for a merger is economies of scale. The operating economies will be lower in the combined business firm. Benefits to a merger would include the ability to buy raw materials in bulk at lower prices, the possibility of better interest rates on loans for being a larger company, and better quality goods through a more efficient company. Though fixed costs may increase slightly, overall efficiency is expected to occur. XYZ’s current net sales are $1,747,698 and expected to grow 20% a year to reach $4,352,628 in five years. â€Å"Growth may also improve the effectiveness of the organization. Larger companies have a number of advantages over smaller firms operating in more limited markets† (Thomas, 2014). Additional funding post-merger will not be needed due to the liquidation of excess assets, and the sale of stock. Based upon the financial statements of the XYZ Company, management has decided that acquiring another business in the same industry will create a more efficient and effective company. The revenues earned from the combined business will continue to increase in the next five years. The company’s short term and long term financing needs have been addressed. Meeting payroll obligations, inventory purchases, and expansion are all included in the pro forma statement for XYZ. References Dileep, R. (2010). Forbes: The 12 Best Sources of Business Financing. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/2010/07/06/best-funding-sources-for-small-business-entrepreneurs-finance-dileep-rao.htmlThomas, J. (n.d). Diversification Strategy. Retrieved October 19, 2014 from http://Reference for Business; Encyclopedia of Business, 2nd ed. http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/management/De-Ele/Diversification-Strategy.html

East Asian Economic Miracle

During 1960 to 1990, East Asia experienced a huge transformation in its economic development which is now widely referred to as the East Asian economic miracle. This was largely a result of the growth of eight economies known as the high-performing Asian economies, hereinafter HPAEs. These comprised Japan, Hong Kong, the Republic of Korea, Singapore and Taiwan, and the three newly industrialised economies (NIEs) which were Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. Prior to the 1960s, tensions between the regional powers were relatively high, which was evidently the result of several major events including the Sino-Japanese war, the wars between Japan and Russia and Japan and Korea and the invasion and colonisation of certain regions. After 1960, however, a radical adjustment in the interactions between these regional powers developed, arguably as a result of the creation of organisations such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 1967. This illustrates a significant relaxation of tensions which effectively promoted economic, social and cultural co-operation between the member states. 1] Nevertheless, the extent to which such tensions have diminished is questionable, especially in light of the effects of both the Cold War and the Korean and Vietnamese wars. In order to develop a valuable analysis which documents the political implications of the East Asian economic miracle, it is first necessary to briefly outline the precedi ng tensions which existed in order to measure the extent to which tensions subsequently relaxed. Prior to 1960, relations between China and Japan were undoubtedly hostile. In 1964, China fought Japan in the Sino-Japanese war over the control of Korea which resulted in the Japanese acquisition of Taiwan and the Liaodong province and the independence of Korea. In 1931 Japan had invaded Manchuria and was in occupation of this area by 1933. During this period atrocities such as the Nanking Massacre took place which exacerbated tensions between Japan and China. In 1905 Japan and Russia were at war, and in 1910 Japan had colonised Korea which significantly contributed to regional tensions in East Asia. Nevertheless, in the post-World War II era, most of the colonised egions in East Asia had become independent which arguably created the conditions for regional cooperation. However, when East Asia became engulfed in the Cold War, further tensions emerged between China and Japan. In addition, this also resulted in the creation of North and South Korea, and the Vietnamese civil war. Thus, these major events resulted in hostile tensions between the East Asian reg ional powers, which are arguably still visible today. During the 1940s, relations between Japan and other East Asian regions appeared to deteriorate, particularly as a result of the Japanese creation of the East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere. Arguably, this seemed to enhance relations in East Asia by unifying the region and marking ‘the end of European control. ’[2] However, this was not a universally held opinion as many regarded this as political propaganda which served merely to disguise Japanese aggression and its underlying agenda for imperial domination[3]. It seems that it was not until the 1960s that relations between Japan and the South East Asian regions began to improve. Thus, the period between 1965 and 1975 ‘saw the maturing of Japan’s own economic position and the beginning of Japan’s large scale investment in the region. [4] Arguably, Japan realised the need for co-operation with the South-East Asian regions in order to take advantage of crucial raw materials such as rubber and oil. Consequently, Asia became the largest recipient of Japan’s manufacturing investment which resulted in large economic development in the South-East. Throughout this time of development, Sou th-East Asia introduced many tariffs and inducements in order to encourage domestic industrialisation and enhance relations throughout Asia. This large scale investment not only initiated rapid economic development, but it also highlighted the necessity of shared growth across the East Asian regions. As a result, east Asian leaders formally established the principle of shared growth, declaring that if the economy expanded all groups would benefit[5]. However, in light of the numerous stages involved in implementing such policies, serious coordination problems emerged. For example, it was first necessary for all the leaders to get initial support from economic elites and then to persuade them that it was necessary to share the benefits of his growth with the poor and middle classes. Secondly, it was essential to get the co-operation of the poor and middle classes by demonstrating how they would benefit from this growth. This was seen in Korea and Taiwan where comprehensive land reform was carried out, in Indonesia where rice and fertiliser price policies were used to raise rural incomes, in Malaysia where wealth sharing po licies were introduced, and in Hong Kong and Singapore where huge public housing programs were implemented. [6] Nevertheless, during this establishment of shared growth in East Asia the relations between the South-East regions continued to improve, and in 1967 the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was created. Its founding members were Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Singapore and Malaysia. After 1995, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia also joined. ASEAN’s initial objectives can be summarised as follows: to ‘alleviate intra-ASEAN tensions, to reduce the regional influence of external actors, and to promote the socioeconomic development of its member states as a further hedge against Communist insurgency. [7] It is important to note that its creation had followed recent hostile relations between the South-East Asian powers, partly as a result of Indonesia’s confrontation with the new state of Malaysia, and the Philippines’ claim over the Malaysian state of Sabah. [8] Therefore it was an important step forward in the co-operation of these regional powers in which shared development could be promoted. In 1976, ASEAN adopted the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) which called for ‘signatories to commit to â€Å"non-interference in the internal affairs of one another†, a â€Å"renunciation of the threat or use of force† and the settlement of disputes by â€Å"peaceful means†. ’[9] The signing of the TAC was a major attempt in further uniting the South East Asian regions and establishing an effective agenda for the political development of the ASEAN countries. Thus, it effectively created additional foundations for the cooperation in the economical development of the ASEAN region. In 1977, the Agreement on ASEAN Preferential Trading Arrangements (PTA) was signed in a bid to promote intra- ASEAN trading. Therefore, the PTA prescribed the use of a range of preferential tariffs, export credit support using preferential interest rates and long term quantity contracts. Nevertheless, the extent to which this agreement was effective is questionable. For example, it seems that some of the product groups that received preferential treatment often had little importance as imports. [10] As a result, it was agreed that the â€Å"ASEAN content requirement† should be reduced in order to allow preference margins to be increased. Furthermore, it was thought this would encourage negotiation of the reduction of non-tariff measures between ASEAN countries. [11] This resulted in three agreements[12] in which the primary objective was to boost the industrial cooperation between ASEAN countries. Subsequently, the TAC and other intra-ASEAN trading initiatives seemed to reduce tensions between the South-East regions, although it should be noted that intra-ASEAN trading accounted for only a small percentage of total ASEAN trade as most countries relied heavily on the export of primary goods to Japan and the USA. In addition, as trade became increasingly competitive it appears that trade relations also became more aggressive and hostile. However, it has been suggested that in the early development of the ASEAN, it ‘deliberately deemphasised the goals of political and military collaboration’[13] in order to avoid exacerbating opposition from communist led countries such as China. Consequently, many East Asia regions came to recognise that a market friendly strategy would be an effective way of enhancing the strength of their economies whereby governments would provide adequate investments in people. Furthermore, this would result in a competitive climate for private enterprise, allow the economy to remain open for international trade and maintain a stable macroeconomy. [14] Many of these policies were implemented in east Asian regions in order to promote economic development at a successful rate, combined with selective intervention in order to guide private-sector resource allocation. This created a competitive environment with the benefits of co-operation between the government and private sector. 15] In 1992 ASEAN leaders endorsed the idea of an ASEAN free trade area (AFTA) which would gradually lift the tariffs for manufactured goods produced by these members in order to enhance ASEAN economic cooperation. The AFTA would remove barriers to trade and investment and therefore also present an incentive for foreign investment. However, the AFTA did not fully achieve its objectives due to pre-existing low tariffs, and therefore only very few intra-ASEAN traders took advantage of the reduced tariffs. [16] Consequently, it seems that there were only minor noticeable improvements in relations in the ASEAN. However, in Northeast Asia, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and the People’s Republic of China there was a massive economic development during the ‘East Asian Economic Miracle’ period. By the 1960s many regarded Japan as having a relatively mature industrialised economy in comparison with other East Asian countries. [17] During the 1950s and 1960s the idea emerged that Japan should use the flying geese model to support other Asian countries in their development. As a result, other regions would be able to replicate Japan’s developmental experience and adapt it to their own regions. For example, manufacturing with lower skill rates were transferred from Japan and invested into lower performing economies. Thus, by utilising Japan’s economic development experiences, combined with the major Japanese investment in other East Asian regions, the basis for regional economic cooperation was created. Prior to the development experienced by South Korea and Taiwan, both countries had possessed high trade deficits. It was only with the combination of heavy investment from Japan and aid received from the U. S. that they were able to offset these trade deficits and sustain high levels of investment. 18] This was achieved partly as a result of the South Korean and Taiwanese governments engaging in import substitution, which meant that instead of relying on importing nondurable consumer goods, they manufactured these products domestically. This was a highly successful strategy, and in order to further develop their market economies they switched to an export orientated s trategy following Japan’s example. This success has been shared with other export orientated economies which have achieved higher rates of growth in comparison to those countries that have pursued an import substitution strategy. Thus, despite the fact that tensions may have initially increased as a result of competitive economic relationships between Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, arguably the result has been a significant relaxation of regional tensions. In addition, powerful government agencies have also been instrumental in determining the tone of regional relations, as is evident from an analysis of policies implemented by South Korea’s Economic Planning Board, Taiwan’s council for Economic Planning and Development, Taiwan’s and South Korea’s model agency and Japan’s Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI). The MITI have many useful policy tools, including the power to screen foreign investment and regulate foreign exchange. Their main objective was to maintain national independence in industries such as energy, steel, computer and telecommunications, etc. whereby they attempted to guide firms towards what was termed ‘sunrise’ industries which included electronics and information systems. Thus, Japanese firms were encouraged to improve their technological capabilities and relocate industries where national competitiveness was declining, such as in Taiwan and South Korea. These industries tended to have high labour intensity, therefore by transferring these industries Japan was able to avoid increasing labour costs. Throughout this period of development Japan also provided Taiwan and South Korea with some of the necessary machinery and components which was essential for their industrialisation. Consequently, South Korea was recognised as the most successful of the East Asian regions, and in 1996 South Korea was ranked as the twelfth largest economy in the world. 19] Taiwan has also experienced remarkable success in terms of the growth of its economy and has achieved a decrease in inequality of income. The ratio of incomes between the top twenty percent of households to those of the lowest twenty percent was estimated to be 20. 47 in 1953 which subsequently decreased to 5. 33 in 1964 where this figure has remained stable since, and has only risen slightly over time. [20] Both of these economies have experienced successful development in implementing th e same growth strategies seen in Japan. With the effective use of foreign investments, improved technologies, government policies and agencies, South Korea and Taiwan have advanced their economies and become major competitors in the global economy. Thus, as a result of the aid and guidance received from Japan, relations between these regions have undoubtedly improved. Throughout the ‘economic miracle’ many of the East Asian regions received foreign investment from the U. S. and Japan. Western investment was viewed y some as part of a wider effort to build opposition against the communist-led countries within East Asia, such as the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Therefore the PRC sought investment from other countries with similar political ideology, such as the Soviet Union who were able to provide loans, technology and advisors in order for the PRC to improve its communication infrastructure and heavy industrial foundation. [21] Nonetheless, by the late 1970s the PRC had not achieved its initial goa ls and its economy was unstable. In the early 1980s the PRC government changed its strategy in order to achieve economic development by liberalising the economy. Therefore, the government began deemphasising the need for central planning and encouraging local initiatives, and later began to follow the models set by the East Asian regions that had already shown significant development. Consequently, the PRC opened its economy to foreign investment, technology and trade which ultimately strengthened its economic performance. Before the 1980s, relations between the PRC and other East Asian nations had been hostile, particularly as a result of their conflicting political ideologies. It may be argued, however, that after this boost in its economical development, relations between the PRC and other East Asian regions began to relax as a result of the increase in the cooperation of these regions. Nevertheless, some commentators argue that the PRC increased tensions as a result of its economic growth which encouraged competitive relations. Similarly, some security study texts indicate that the strengthening of the PRC resulted in moves to convert its economic power into political-military power. [22] Thus, it is questionable whether the development of the PRC’s economy merely exacerbated tensions with other East Asian regions in light of a perceived military threat. After the East Asian economic miracle, the introduction of ASEAN plus three (APT) has been recognised as significantly increasing regionalism within East Asia. Although not an official organisation, it is a basic framework for East Asian cooperation which has enabled the integration of the East Asian regions whereby the policy of mutual dependence is prioritised. Furthermore, after the Asian financial crisis in 1997, it seems that there have been further calls for the enhancement of East Asian cooperation which subsequently led to recent suggestions for the establishment of an East Asian Free Trade Area (EAFTA). However, it should be stressed that the creation of such an agreement will be difficult to achieve unless further policies can be implemented to support such a move, for example, an increase in sub regional agreements and bilateral FTAs. [23] However, it should also be noted that in 2001 it was announced that ASEAN and China would establish their own FTA before 2010 which suggests that the prospects of an EAFTA being established are not altogether slim. Thus, it is evident that there have been dramatic improvements in East Asian relations as a result of the increased economic cooperation. Nevertheless, as the APT group consists of both advanced market economies and less developed economies many tensions continue to exist which is arguably compounded by the existence of the conflicting political ideologies in countries such as the PRC and Vietnam. Nevertheless, it is undeniable that the East Asian Economic Miracle has transformed East Asia’s economies whereby many East Asian countries have now confirmed their position as major contenders in the global market. Throughout this period the HPAEs have grown at a faster rate than most other developing countries in the world. This has been a result of numerous factors, but in particular it seems that this success is largely attributable to the regionalism that has occurred across East Asia. It seems that relations between the East Asian regions have rapidly developed, especially as ‘those countries that have adopted a â€Å"trading strategy† have tended to outperform others that have given primacy to the ideas of military assertiveness and territorial control. [24] Thus, in order to compete in an increasingly global environment, it has proved to be essential to minimise military conflicts and establish trade relationships that will benefit the region as a whole. Many of the HPAEs have taken note of Japan’s developmental example, and accordingly, each have similar economic characteristics. Arguably, this has been instrumental in enabling organisations such as the ASEAN to emer ge, as well as encouraging the implementation of many major policies which have enhanced intra trade relations. Nonetheless, a deeper level of analysis reveals that major tensions continue to exist within East Asia, such as the North Korean threat, Japanese tensions with its neighbours and disputes between China and South Korea regarding historical legacies. Nevertheless, it seems that the cooperation and shared development which has resulted from the East Asian economic miracle has, at the very least, created the foundations for progressive trade relations in the future.

Research Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Research Proposal - Essay Example Burning any fossil fuel produces Carbon dioxide which contributes to the "Greenhouse effect†, thus increasing the temperature of the earth. Coal is even more dangerous, the burning of coal produces more Carbon dioxide then oil or gas along with Sulphur dioxide. Coal also needs to be burned in huge amount on constant basis thus making it the most polluting commercial power generating source in the world (Saddleback Educational Publishing, 2008). However, in the recent years, it has been realized by scientists that the use huge amount of coal and other fossil fuels to produce cheap electricity has taken its toll on earth in the form of global warming, hence a number of more efficient and less polluting options have been considered and put into use by government around the world. There has also been a growing trend of exploring and using renewable energy options which produce zero pollution and are inexhaustible in contrast to coal and fossil fuel. One of the widely used renewable energy option is Hydro power. The purpose of this project is to establish whether hydro power can serve as a single source of energy for all the current and future needs of the world (Saddleback Educational Publishing, 2008). ... One of the major problems that the world is facing right now is the shortage of energy, particularly electrical energy. With the high predicted population growth rate, it is expected that the demand of electricity will far outweighs any other type of energy demand. The problem that this research will attempt to solve is to determine if one of the alternative sources of power, namely hydropower, is in such abundance that it can be used to meet the future electricity demands of the world. The purpose of the Study The purpose this project is to determine the ways in which hydropower can be used to generate electricity on a massive scale. A secondary objective of this research is to demonstrate how GIS can be used to establish the potential of hydropower for electricity generation for global demands. This project will use high altitude imagery, maps and other data available through NASA and other resources for its analysis with both qualitative and quantitative research method will be us ed to carry out the evaluation in an effort to determine the suitability of hydropower. Literature Review According to the figures provided in World Energy Outlook released by International Energy Agency (IEA) in 2009, global electricity demand is growing at double the rate of overall energy use and it is expected that it will see a growth of 76% by 2030 (International Energy Agency, 2008). While conventional methods of electricity production such as fossil fuels provide an economical and readily available way of electricity generation, the tremendous amount of negative impact that they have on the environment (green house effect and global warming) as well as their

Argue which of the 3 sources best represent how civilian reacted in Essay - 1

Argue which of the 3 sources best represent how civilian reacted in WW2 - Essay Example While the entire Britain suffered loss and devastation, the attacks were also helpful in galvanizing the nation: there emerged a new steady determination in the face of the scary onslaught of Nazi. The Blitz is well written, original and revealing; it is a re-examination of one the vital aspects of the history of the second world war that is highly needed. The second source, The British and the Second World War, is a book written by Arthur Marwick and published in the year 1976. The reason why the book was published is to show how Britain successfully mobilized the civilian for the war. The mobilization of Britain during this period proved to get a breakthrough in winning public opinion’s strong support in maintaining the war. The war can be termed as a people war; it expanded the aspirations of democracy and resulted to a postwar welfare state promises. Much of success in getting people’s support is attributed to the systematic and planned women mobilization, as soldiers, housewives, and workers, put in force by conscription after the month of December in the year 1941. Women gave themselves to support the war effort, making successful the rationing of the consumer goods. Either of the two ways, compulsion and voluntarism, were used for mobilization. However, reliance on voluntarism was successful for the British. The g overnment’s achievement in providing new services such as lunches for hospitals and schools, as well as the people’s war equalitarian spirit, contributed towards extensive support for an expanded welfare state (Marwick 1976). The third source is a book that was authored by Joseph Darracott in the year 1989: World War Two in cartoons. The book also unveils or reveals the response received from the civilian (the public) but in human graphics form, cartoons. It is a cartoon collection on the Second World War; the cartoons have been found in archives, in the entire globe. This

Juvenile Justice Authority Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Juvenile Justice Authority - Essay Example They have their own courts and their own rehabilitation centres (Fisher 2000). Gies (2001) notes that, the juvenile courts work according to the premise that the children are different from the adults in terms of responsibilities and rehabilitation. Treatment and successful reintegration of the youths in to the society are the main aim of the juvenile justice authority. Under federal law, all children between the age of ten and eighteen are considered as juvenile. Though, each state determine who is to taken to the juvenile court. Cases can be transferred from criminal courts to juvenile court, depending on the offence committed. When a child is tried in a criminal court he or she is still considered a child, and he may be treated as a youth offender. This makes the process a closed hearing unlike an adult who will be given a public hearing. All the states, do allow children to be tried as adults in a criminal court depending with the crime committed, Some states exclude serious, committed crime from juvenile courts regardless of the childs age. The prosecutors decide on whether to find a criminal offence in a criminal court or taken to the juvenile system. On the other hand, the juvenile court may order the child to criminal court. In the juvenile justice, the juvenile is provided with safeguards, just like the adult criminal. This includes the right to trial, the right against self defence and the right to call a witness. In most states the juvenile there are no juries, and they not demand a bail. The juvenile court has been seen by the youth who passed through it as a guardian that models individual characters and the court aimed at providing for the child’s individual interests when making decisions on the crime committed (Ryan 2001). The process by which a chid goes through after a period of confinement has many names like after care services, reintegration services, transitional care and juvenile services. The process of

Methodology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 4

Methodology - Essay Example ancement of a software called sage; the paper was also published again in 198 although it was agreed that the process did not necessarily have to follow the exact procedure as it was initially made. The putting forward of the waterfall model by Winston was as an example of a model that could not work and the term was only used when talking about software development. One of the reasons that I prefer using this model is because the time that is spent in the initial stages of making the model can lead to greater savings in time and money in future (Carlisle, Wilson, Humphries & Hadfield, 2005, p177). For instance a bug that is detected earlier during the design phase of a software will be cheap and will take less time to fix than one that will be detected at later stages in the development of the software. The main idea behind this model is that the much time spent in the first stages of development reduces efforts later. The people behind the making of this process have to make sure that they are more sure and accurate before getting to the following stage they should also assemble all the necessary requirements needed in all the processes before beginning the entire procedure (Navarro & Hoek, 2005, p27). In this model, the members have to make sure that when they start working it is advisable to work thoroughly without any stops this would prevent some of the information getting lost if left unattended, retrieving of this information may not be very easy and may cost a lot of time (Huo, Verner, Zhu & Babar, 2004, p523). If the team or the members are not familiar with the documents ¦, it is advisable to go through them first before starting the entire project. Most of the waterfall model users prefer this method because it is to use and it progresses in such a way that it is easy to understand each phase due to this reason the model has been widely used at the start of the model in writing software engineering text. Big design up and the waterfall model are most

ECONOMICS Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

ECONOMICS - Assignment Example The country’s urban population is also increasing (World Bank 20). Ethiopia covers an area of about 1,000,000 km2. Using the 2010 national population figures, we get a national population density of 85 people/km2. The level of economic development in Ethiopia is still low indicated by the 2010 Human Development Index (HDI) of 0.328% and low GDP of US$28,526.50 billion in 2009. The general standards of living are also low with 38.70% of the people living below a dollar. There is a high dependency ratio as is common among developing countries for example 86.5% in 2010. In 2008, 85.1% of the population lived without electricity. In 2010, its life expectancy was 56.1%, a figure that was common among other developing countries (World Bank 16). Difference between Ethiopia and other developing countries Unlike most developing countries, Ethiopia has a very large surface coverage. It emerges the second largest in Africa. According to (World Bank 20), the percentage of urban population in Ethiopia is below 20% unlike other developing countries. In 2010, these figures were 16.7% compared 35.4% and 38.4% in Guinea and Sierra Leone respectively in during the same year.

Contract problem solving Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Contract problem solving - Essay Example The discussion that follows will examine the actual offer and acceptance and their implications for the existence or non-existence of legally binding variation clause. Another important issue arises out of the doctrine of consideration. If there is no consideration, a valid contract will not exist at all. The brochure submitted by ICL to GSL contains the type of computer that GSL is looking for, but requires a software modification. The computer is advertised at 2,500 pounds as is. GSL responds to the advertised model by asking whether or not the software modification can be made. ICL replies that the software modification can be made, but will be subject to a price variation and that variation will override any clauses contained in the purchase order. Upon placing the order, GSL submits their standard order form which does not contain a variation clause, but does state that the parties are bound by the terms and conditions contained in the purchase order. Upon receiving the order form, ICL signs the form and returns it to GSL. These facts are crucial since the contract between the parties will be formed at the exact moment at which an offer is accepted. In the course of negotiations it is typical for an offer to be made. That offer is required to contain a definite promise providing sufficient and unambiguous details for the other party to accept or decline.1 All contracts begin with an offer, it therefore follows that the offer is required to be stated with clarity. Put another way, the party to whom the offer is directed or communicated must be able to determine from that offer exactly what it is that is being offered as well as the terms of the offer.2 The law is quite clear that in order for the acceptance of an offer to be legally binding it must follow the essential substance of the offer made.3 The offer in this case originated in a catalogue. The initial question is

What Lies on the Other Side Essay Example for Free

What Lies on the Other Side Essay Imagine looking out to the other side wondering how life goes on in a different world. Mexican citizens often wonder that same thought. Some Mexicans would like to share a piece of the American dream. The only issue at hand though, is whether the citizens of Mexico cross United States Borders legally or illegally. Illegal immigration has become an ever growing problem, adding to the United States debt and causing controversy nationwide. The issue at hand occurs for numerous reasons, although a few are a direct reason why illegal immigration occurs. One main and probable cause for illegal immigration can be accounted for by the introduction of The North American Free Trade Agreement. Illegal Immigration exploded after the 1994 passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement, which removed tariffs on American farm products imported into Mexico. As a result Mexican farmers could not compete with U.S agribusiness and were forced to find other ways to earn a living. (Dvorak 99) Due to lack of work and pressure to earn a living many were forced to find and alternate and quick way of living. Some chose local jobs, others legal immigration and for the desperate risking their own lives and safety for a better life illegal immigration. Illegal immigration was not always a common occurrence. Before 1960 the number of illegal immigrants entering the country was not well known and never emerged as a major issue (Dvorak 99). This connection proves that years ago illegal immigration was a mere spot on the United States map. Today however, the problem at hand is an ever growing issue. Not only is illegal immigration increasing but puts stress upon the American economy and job market. The effects of illegal immigration in the United States, as well as other countries, provides a vivid view about how illegal immigration effects economics and job market of the country in which illegal immigration takes place. Persons in the United States often talk about the millions without work, but in some cases â€Å"millions of illegals continue to flood into the  United States, competing for scarce U.S. jobs† (Katel). Due to increased competition illegal immigration causes legal citizens to start reaching out to their government and demanding things be done to solve the issue. Some citizens even go as far as to try and take the issue into their own hands. Illegal immigration does not only take away job opportunities but also governmental funds, which in turn is the peoples’ money. One must pay taxes in order to fund ones way of life. Illegals, although some do pay taxes, cause U.S. government funds to deplete. †¦an average low skill illegal immigrant household received $30,160 in direct benefits, means-tested benefits, education, and population-based services from all levels of government, while paying only $10, 573 in taxes. (Greenley) Taxes are a major contributing factor for the awareness of illegal immigration. Taxes are such a factor because the legal citizens pay into the government and receive things in return such as education, but the money is also given to those who do not pay for aid or not enough. Taxes and the job market are two major issues the United States faces, but the money the United States spends to combat and control the issues is also a major determining factor. â€Å"Last year 438,997 people were apprehended by the U.S. border Patrol in Tuscon sector for illegally entering the United States† (Nussbaum). The issue is not the fact of the apprehensions, but the money that is spent in order to apprehend. It is said that billions of dollars are spent annually keeping the issue at bay. In order continue, the war on immigration, the federal government and local government must work together. The federal government may spend the most counteracting illegal immigration, but things must be done at a state level as well as a local level. One major state that has seen some of the most seismic illegal activity is Arizona. Arizona â€Å"America’s most porous border is a 262-mile stretch, from the New Mexico state line to near Yuma† (Nussbaum). Illegal immigration causes the state to spend not only money but time and effort to clean up issues that have evolved from illegal immigration. Many are without jobs and with border crossing also causes drug issues. Without jobs people pay no taxes and rely on government aid. The U.S. battle with illegal immigration adds up, on average a single border state spends millions to defend against their border problems (Nussbaum). The States that participate in the war on illegal  immigration pay a hefty price for the safety and security of not only their citizens but the countries as well. There are many ways the citizens of the United States with the governments help can halt or drastically slow illegal immigration from happening at all. The United States was built upon immigration. The United States has one of the most diverse if not the most collaboration of people. â€Å"The United States accepts 200,000 immigrants legally each year, more than the rest of the world put together† (Katel). The immigrants excepted by the United States have gone through all the right criteria in order to become a U.S. citizen. Unlike illegals they have made a life fairly and promote good competition and add to The United States’ ever growing society. For those who come legally it is not just to put them through all of the work to become a citizen while illegals do none of the United States’ criteria to become a citizen. One of the best ways one can try to alter the odds in the United States favor of stopping illegal immigration is â€Å"ending birth right citizenship for children of illegal immigrants† (Greenley). In order for this to occur, congress and the people must vote upon what is to happen. By ending birthright citizenship causes less to leave Mexico. Another way one can try and put a stop to illegal immigration is â€Å"preventing the hiring of illegal immigrants† (Greenley). Possibilities open up, such as no green cards and less competition in the job market. Prevention of hiring illegals also causes less to come because many are in search of work but can no longer do so due to their illegal status. There are still many pending issues and problem solving tactics being thought of everyday but no one is certain what the outcome may be. Illegal immigration to this day is a growing problem, causing United States debt to rise and national controversy over the dispute of what to do about the issue. All countries around the world experience illegal immigration. Mexico may be the United States worst culprit; however Mexico is not the only country to have citizens crossing illegally across the border. The only certain idea is the uncertainty of the future between the United States and Mexico’s relations between immigration. Works Cited Dvorak, William. Five. Immigration in the United States. New York: H.W. Wilson Co., 2009. 360-398. Print. Greenley, Larry. How to Fix Illegal Immigration. new american 24.5 (2008): 15-18. SIRS. Web. 4 Sept. 2013. Katel, Peter. Illegal Immirgation. CQ Researcher 15 .17 (2005): 393-420. Print. Nussbaum, Paul. The Border Wars: Drawing Lines in the Sand. Philadelphia Inquirer 30 Apr. 2006, sec. A1+: n.p.. SIRS. Web. 4 Sept. 2013.

Okonkwos tradition drink palm-wine

Okonkwos tradition drink palm-wine Chapter 1 â€Å"He was a man of action, a man of warOn great occasions such as the funeral of a village celebrity he drank his palm-wine from his first human head.† (Page 10) This quote introduces us of to Okonkwos tradition to drink his palm-wine from a human skull. This shows us the difference between Okonkwo and Ibo. This also shows that Okonkwo admires men who are tough fighters as well. He rejected his father, a man who was afraid of the sight of blood, partially because he never became a fighter. Chapter 2 â€Å"Perhaps down in his heart Okonkwo was not a cruel man. But his whole life was dominated by fear, the fear of failure and of weakness.†(Page 13) The quote emphasizes that Okonkwo felt that his father was a failure. According to Okonkwo, his father possessed unsuitable feminine qualities. This is one of the fundamental causes which cause him to commit some silly acts. His actions also results in his eldest son in becoming a â€Å"failure† (in Okonkwos opinion) as well. His son possesses none of the qualities that Okonkwo admires. Chapter 3 â€Å"An old woman is always uneasy when dry bones are mentioned in a proverb. Okonkwo remembered his own father.†(Page 21) This Ibo proverb shows how much Okonkwo hates his father. He felt that he was a failure and he basically rejects everything that his father stood for. He is ashamed of his father, primarily because of his coward-like qualities, his failure to rise up in society, and his failure to become a warrior. Chapter 4 â€Å"But he was not the man to go about telling his neighbors that he was in error. And so people said he had no respect for the gods of the clan. His enemies said that his good fortune had gone to his head.† (Page 33) In this quote, Achebe portrays Okonkwos character. Okonkwo clearly shows a lack of thought topped by his pretentiousness. He was not a very likable person. Thus, people hated him and his achievements and was respected by very few. Later on in the novel, we also see another characteristic develop in Okonkwo hypocrisy. In those later chapters, he will reject everything he and his tribesman stand for. Chapter 5 â€Å"The Feast of the New Yam was held every year before the harvest began, to honor the earth goddess and the ancestral spirits of the clan. New yams could not be eaten until some had first been offered to these powers. Men and women, young and old, looked forward to the New Yam Festival because it began the season of plentythe new year.† (Page 36) When we were reading Great Expectations, we were asked to carefully analyze the food present in the novel. The food present in Things Fall Apart is as significant. Yams was the main source of food. In fact, the yams were so highly regarded in the society that they were often called the â€Å"the king of the crops.† Further, people utilized the yams for all traditional celebrations. This food can be linked with the religious and ancestral societal spirits. Certain celebrations such as the New Yam Festival took place to honor certain foods. Chinua Achebe used agriculture to express certain characteristics of each festival and celebration of the Igbo society. Chapter 6 â€Å"The wrestlers were now almost stillin each others grip. The muscles on their arms and their thighs and on their backs stood out and twitched It looked like an equal match.† (Page 50) Although this chapter may seem significant it actually has a very significant common idea the wrestling match. Although wrestling may seem like a brutal sport, it was an integral part of the local culture and society. Tribal customs outline what every member is supposed to do. Without customs, a culture does not exist. Moreover, wrestling matches for the Ibo village signified a boy becoming a man. The only way to prove himself worthy to be a man is to wrestle. This shows the importance of physical strength in the tribe. Chapter 7 â€Å"No matter how prosperous a man was, if he was unable to rule his women and his children (and especially his women) he was not really a man.† (Page 53) Okonkwo, the protagonist of the novel, is a very gender-role oriented man. When women gained the power to trade, we are made aware that their status in society is progressing upwards. Trade changed basic family relations and the ideas upon which Igbo culture was established. It seems the idea that a man should â€Å"rule his women and children† does not perhaps come from Okonkwo himself, but rather from the Igbo culture itself. Overall, however, this quote symbolizes that women were looked upon as being inferior to men at the time. Chapter 8 â€Å"When did you become a shivering old woman, Okonkwo asked himself, you, who are known in all the nine villages for your valor in war? How can a man who has killed five men in battle fall to pieces because he has added a boy to their number? Okonkwo, you have become a woman indeed.† (Page 65) The Ibo culture is very different from modern culture as shown by the novel. One clear difference between most modern societies and the Ibo society was that warfare between different clans or tribes does not occur. The Ibo culture praises manliness and parades fighters. Today, society teaches us to honor warriors who fight against other countries, rather than with regional clans. This quote shows that vast difference between the two time periods. Chapter 9 â€Å"For the first time in three nights,Okonkwo slept.He woke up oncein the middle of thenightand his mind went back to the pastthreedays without making him feel uneasy. He began to wonder why he had felt uneasy at all.† (Page 75) In this quote, we see that Okonkwo is noticing something wrong. He feels that something is simply not right, yet he cannot figure what it quite is. Later on in the novel, we will learn that â€Å"things fall apart.† This quote is an indication that something wrong will happen. This shows Achebe using foreshadowing to provide insight into what might happen next. Chapter 10 â€Å"Okonkwos wives, and perhaps other women as well, might have noticed that the secondegwugwuhad the springy walk of Okonkwo. And they might also have noticed that Okonkwo was not among the titled men and elders who sat behind the row ofegwugwu. But if they thought these things they kept them to themselves.† (Pages 89-90) This quote portrays a scene in much detail while also using humor. The â€Å"thoughtful silence† of the women is extremely ironic. The quote reveals the attitude of women on the topic of power. Here, the women also reveal that they posses more knowledge of reality as compared to what they wish to reveal. Therefore, Achebe seems to recognize the importance and equality of women, something which was not usually regarded in a male dominant society. Chapter 11 â€Å"Go home and sleep, said Okonkwo. I shall wait here.† (Page 108) Okonkwo seems to genuinely love his family. He also seems to have genuine concern over the welfare and wellbeing of his children. In this quote, Okonkwo demonstrates his concern over the safety of his family. Although some would argue that Okonkwos â€Å"iron fisted† rule clearly shows no love for his family, I would differ. Perhaps, these beatings, instead, represented the way people acted in the society at that time. Physical punishment was very common in the era. Therefore, it is possible that Okonkwo was only using the beatings as a method to teach his children discipline. Basically, Okonwo loves his family, however, he is afraid to show this quality since her fears that it might portray him as being feminine. Chapter 12 â€Å"Okonkwo was also feeling tired, and sleepy, for although nobody else knew it, he had not slept at all last night.† (Page 112) Chapter 12 marks the first time that Okonkwo seems to be tired. This was a quality that he detested. Achebe shows Okonkwos tiredness to conflict with his earlier beliefs. This shows Okonkwos hypocritical nature. The fact that Okonkwo broke his vow is crucial since they were the foundation of his life. This will cause problems for him further on in the novel. Chapter 13 â€Å"The only course open to Okonkwo was to flee from the clan.† (Page 124) In the second part of the novel, Achebe uses several incidents that hold back Okonkwo from the commendation of his tribesman, establishing asimilarity towards his own father. This was surprising considering his own hatred for his father. In this quote Okonkwo accidently kills the tribesmans son and then escapes from the village to hide from any punishment. This shows his cowardness, a characteristic possessed by his father. This also shows Okonkwos hypocrisy. After all, he, himself, looked down upon cowards. Chapter 14 â€Å"It was like beginning life anew without the vigor and enthusiasm of youth, like learning to become left-handed in old age.†(Page 131) Okonkwo, after noticing change in his society, felt difficult to go on with his life. He had to start a news chapter in his life. This quote illustrates Okonkwo as a person who seems to have lost his will to live life. Okonkwos qualitys and his goal in becoming a fighter, unlike his father, fade away and he becomes a different man. Chapter 15 â€Å"Those were good days when a man had friends in distant clans. Your generation does not know that. You stay at home, afraid of your next-door neighbor. Even a mans motherland is strange to him nowadays.† (Page 137) In this quote, Unchendu is telling Okwondo about the past. Although, the quote refers to men interacting within their classes, on a deeper level, it shows the change that has occurred within the society. People are changing and tradations are changing as well. The traditions that the people of the society want to stay the same are changing as well. This will eventually be the â€Å"things† that fall apart. Yet, all of this was expected. After all, the title of the novel is â€Å"Things Fall Apart.† Since everything was going so perfectly, something was bound to happen. Chapter 16 â€Å"The missionaries had come to Umuofia. They had built their church there, won a handful of converts and were already sending evangelists to the surrounding areas and villages.† (Page 143) The invasion of the Europeans of Africa was expected. Achebe mentions that the missionaries were moving there. Although, I do not endorse the Europeans coming into Africa, the Europeans coming into the village illustrated a very interesting idea the clashing of cultures. Their invasion of the villages illustrated how the traditional values of the Umuofia society could be so easily changed by this modern theology. This gives everyone a chance to think for themselves, rather than simply following what was traditionally thought of to be right. It gave the people a choice. This choice was taken by Nwoye who made his own path in life. Chapter 17 â€Å"Living fire begets cold, impotent ash.†(Page 153) This quote is metaphor for a very important idea. This comes after Nwoyesrejection of traditional Igbo values and conversion to Christianity. Nwoye, the oldest son of Okonkwo, is lazy and weak (according to Okonkwo). This quote emphasizes the realization of Okonkwo that his behavior leaves powerlessness in others, especially his son. Okonkwo believes the Nwoye and his father posses the same weakness. Chapter 18 â€Å"In the land of his fathers where men were bold and warlike. In these seven years he would have climbed to the utmost heights. And so regretted everyday of his exile† (p.163). This excerpt also emphasizes Okonkwos desire for power and status. During his exile, Okonkwo got in touch with the feminine side inside him. Okonkwo is a man who loves courage and Umuofia was full of men who fit that description. It seems that Okonkwo will go back to Umuodia and everything will have changed. After all, the title of the novel is â€Å"Things Fall Apart.† Nothing has â€Å"fallen apart,† yet so something is bound to happen. This idea shows that Achebe, like Charles Dickens, too, uses the idea of foreshadowing. Chapter 19 â€Å"I fear for you young people because you do not understand how strong is the bond of kinship. You do not know what it is to speak with one voice.† (Page 167) This quote is told by an elder to Okwondo. Kinship and connections, which have been crucial parts of the Ibo culture, seem to â€Å"fall apart† as the novel progresses. This quote sparks questions in my mind. Was there any fragmentation amongst the Ibo people from colonization? The Ibo people gathered for wrestling matches and other festivities. Okonkwo clashes with his culture very often. Chapter 20 â€Å"The white man is very clever. He came quietly and peaceably with his religion. We were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won our brothers, and our clan can no longer act like one. He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart.† (Page 176) Obierika mourns over the white man coming to Africa. However, at the same time, he believes that it is the Africans fault for letting the white man come. Mr. Brown, the first white missionary, believes that it is necessary to act peacefully in order to convert people. When Reverend Smith replaces him, he goes against the indigenous tribes and treats them badly. Chapter 21 â€Å"He mourned for the clan, which he saw breaking up and falling apart and he mourned for the warlike men of Umuofia, who had so unaccountably become soft like women† (Page 183) Okonkwo wanted that the ideology of his clan should survive. The society to have several violent attributes. By giving into the Christians, Umuofia broke up and fell apart and turned as â€Å"soft as women.† I believed that Okonkwo did not pay the consequences because he killed the messenger. Okonkwo had killed others before. Okonkwo died because he did it for himself and the beliefs of the clan.The quote above not only shows Okonkwos dismay at the fall of the clan, but also his hatred of feminine qualities, a controversial topic in the novel. Chapter 22 He saw things as black and white.And black was evil.He saw the world as a battlefield in whichthe children of light were locked in mortal conflict with the sons of darkness. (Page 184) Mr. Smith speaks against the god Baal. Many struggles against Baal have been mentioned in the Bible. This shows Achebes criticism of racism. Achebe criticizes the â€Å"black and white† idea. Most racism is based on stories rather than any practical events. Therefore, this view has modified reality, something which Achebe seems to be very against. Chapter 23 â€Å"For the first time in many years Okonkwohad a feeling that was akin to happiness. The times which had altered so unaccountably during his exile seemed to be coming round again. The clan which had turned false on him appeared to be making amends.† (Page 192) This quote symbolizes a change, something which has happened very rarely in the novel. The status of the clan remains somewhat the same in various portions of the novel. However, at this time, the tribe is prosperous which is unlike the norm. However, this happiness will not last for long. After all, the novel has to live up to its expectations which are clearly revealed in the novel something must fall apart. This indicates that perhaps the tribe will disintegrate in the last few chapters. This might lead to a drastic turn in the novel. Chapter 24 â€Å"He knew that that Umuofia would not go to war. He knew because they had let the other messengers escape† (Page 205). Okonkwos suicide meant more than his own tragedy. It symbolized the finish of his society and all the values that prevailed. I think he killed himself because he felt there was no more hope in believing that his tribe would survive and defend itself. Okonkwo tried to represent that everything his tribe wanted. If the tribe wasnt going to survive with the way people were growing up, then he wanted to die too. If the societys life was going to be taken, his was going to be taken too. Chapter 25 â€Å"He had already chosen the title of the book, after much thought:The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Lower Niger.† (Page 209) This quote indicates the racist attitude that the District Commissioner has towards the local tribes. He is a pompous man who thinks he understands the indigenous culture and tribes, while he clearly does not. While he feels that he is bringing peace to the region, he is clearly doing nothing of the sort. He also seems to be very shallow. He makes remarks on â€Å"love of superfluous words† of the villagers. In this, he mocks the language of the villagers.