I saw a girl today, she didn't look normal.
She looked to me to be about 13 years of age. She had on a yellow robe. It was semi-transparent, and I could tell she wore nothing under. She is a child on the verge of womanhood.
The girl in yellow did not look normal.
She had beach sand in her hair and a dazed look in her eyes. She probably smelled too.
She came to the passenger side of the bus I sat in and smiled at the man seated there. She didn't say anything. The man looked uneasy, I do not blame him, he was a "senior citizen". (He actually had no business sitting in the bus if you ask me).
The lady selling food at the bus stop picked up a broom and shooed the girl away, so she moved up a bit to where the Okada riders were. Some men were ogling at her, sizing her up. From where I was seated, I could "read" their minds. I was ashamed at their thoughts. I remember asking in a post what people prefer, and I was amazed at the answer I saw today.
Before we left the Bus park, someone gave her N10 and she proudly added it to her collection which consisted of a N10 and N50 note.
I didn't give her anything. I pitied her and wondered what will become of her at night...
I pitied her, but did my pity add food to her table stomach? Did it give her a warmer dress to wear in this harmattan season? Did it keep her safe from predators? Did it keep her from begging? Give her a place to lay her head at night? Send her to school like normal kids her age?
Where do we start from? How do we move on from here? Where are her parents? Where are the old man's children? Who takes care of him? What is our government saying? What are we saying?
Who really cares?
Well,by writing this means you care.Sometimes we show care through our own little way and it's amazing how much this little way can do.
ReplyDeleteI Hope so. I really want to stop procrastinating and start doing something. Thanks dear.
ReplyDeleteI am using this as an opportunity to indicate my interest in volunteering in an NGO that reaches out to people especially the youths. Please if YOU have nay information, please contact me (ask4ema@gmail.com)
Thanks a lot!
Uhm, it is a sad and poverty-stricken country we live in. The truth is that there is really little you can do. You only have to ensure that the little you can do will make a difference, that is all.
ReplyDeleteI totally feel you cos it breaks my heart. I'm about to put up a post about something that borders on this sef. I'm interested too if any1 has any info.
ReplyDeleteIt Is Everybody's business,You want a better Nation?? Start by doing the little you can,just like 9ja-great said..its amazing how mush this little can do.
ReplyDeleteErm madam..@ilola ....Please Nigeria is not a poverty stricken Nation. Thank you.
Doing whatever you can, no matter how little it may be, would help. The government is not interested in doing anything for them.
ReplyDelete@ Didi: hey man, how you dey?
ReplyDeleteWhere exactly did you live when you were in Nigeria? Lagos or Abuja?
It was after I did my NYSC dat I knew that many of us don't even know what is going on in a large part of Nigeria. From what you have just said, this includes you.
Almost 80% od Nigerian adults live below 2 dollars a day. Believe me when I say Nigeria is a poverty stricken nation.
Go to the villages, which constitutes thje major part of Nigerian land mass and you will know what I am talking about.
If you want to say Nigeria isn't poverty stricken as a matter of prophesy, I can agree with you. But in reality, it is.
@ilola and @DIDI- But we have a lot of resource we can harness to make a "better Nigeria" but greed will not allow us do anything. I really think Poverty stricken is too strong, I will actually say we are poor in capacity development.
ReplyDeleteThere are many hamlets and villages where pipe-borne water is still "a thing of the future".
@ilola, I think you meant to say $1, $2 is a lot and I know that many people can't afford this even in this Lagos.
@Toinilicious, thanks. Can't wait to read...
@che, Thanks. Myself and my sister are trying to work something out. we hope it works.
@ilola....well i lived in Lagos but the reason why i said Nigeria is not poverty striken is because of the revenue generated annually.Like Ema said,GREED is the 1 thing thats preventing circulation of this money. Guess i can`t really say much coz you mentioned visiting villages,don`t even know where mine is so i guess You know what you saying coz U`ve seen it all.
ReplyDelete@ Didi: Greed on the path pf the leaders, ignorance and warped orientation on the path of most of the victims. God help us.
ReplyDeleteI have not seen it all o, it is the little I have seen that formed my opinion