When it comes to working with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds, I hope that I can continue to expand my knowledge as far as learning all that I need to effectively reach and teach. Children and their families will remain a top priority for me. I will continue to be open when it comes to learning new things about diverse children and families so that I can do all that I can to ensure that these children and their families receive the best in an educational setting. One goal that I would like to set for the early childhood field related issues of equity, diversity and social justice is to always treat people with respect and equality. I will never treat one differently because he or she has a different background. I will also always teach the importance of treating individuals equally within the educational setting as a professional. I truly think that if the importance of treating others equal is introduced at a young age, it will reduce the number of people being mistreated and or discriminated against in life. I would like to thank each and every one of my classmates as well as my instructor for such interesting and informative discussions. I have truly learned a lot from you all throughout this course. I look forward to collaborating with you all in future courses. I wish you all the best in your future endeavors. Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!!

I am working as a social service agent and I have been informed that there will be a child whose family recently emigrated from Afghanistan. Five ways in which I would prepare for this child and family would be to learn and familiarize myself with ways in which things are done in Afghanistan such as common identities, culture, language, ways in which they conduct/ celebrate holidays and their normal family structures. I think that familiarizing myself with all that I can about this child’s country will benefit me tremendously as far as educating is concerned. I am a true believer in making children and their families feel comfortable as to increase success in the learning environment. Reference Sparks, L. & Edwards, J. (2010). Anti- Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves.

I can remember an incident where a homosexual was beaten almost to death because of his sexual preference and choice of dress. I consider this an example of a hate crime that displays prejudice and microassult. This prejudice act diminished equity by making individuals that chose to live a homosexual lifestyle fear being jumped on and or killed. This incident brought feelings of sadness and disappointment because I feel that all individuals deserve to make choices that fit them without being judged and or harmed. People should learn to respect the wishes of others whether they agree with them or not. Ignorance that people tend to have when it comes to respecting the differences of today’s society would have to change in order to turn this incident into an opportunity for greater equity. At some point in life individuals should make it their business to get educated about other individuals that life and do things differently from them. It is better if this is learned at an early age so that acceptance would be easier.

The microagression that I remember from this week is microassult. This particular microagression took place when an openly gay individual was assumed by a friend that because he was gay, he knew how to decorate. I felt that if an individual allows themselves to think that others are capable of certain tasks due to their backgrounds, proves ignorance on their part. For example, it was ignorant for a person to assume that just because an individual is gay, they know how to decorate. If people would take time out to make intimate contact with people that are different from themselves, they would have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with those that are different and/ or alike them. I think that becoming familiar with the differences and sameness will enable one to better understand the “how’s” and “why’s” of other’s actions. A better understanding allows one to appreciate these sameness or difference that individuals have. The way in which I observation experiences from this week affected my perception of the effects of discrimination, prejudice and/ or stereotypes on people by giving me better understanding of the importance of why people should not assume that a person is suppose to act a certain way just because their background is different from others. Reference Sparks, L. & Edwards, J. (2010). Anti- Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves.

The one person that I thought was culturally different from me was my next door neighbor Carol. The aspects of culture and diversity that I have studied during this course that were included in their answers were food, language and religion. I ask about their food often because they have family gatherings and the aroma from the food filled the air and smells so good! They eat grilled pork served over rice, seafood, vegetables, etc. One dish that caught my attention was the squid. The squid was rolled up and put on a skewer. They then based with a juice or sauce of their choice and grill it. Carol explained that Khmer is the original language that she speaks. She also speaks English as a second language. I have to really listen to her as she speaks because of her accent. Buddhism is her religion. Thinking about another person’s definition of culture and diversity influenced my thinking by gaining a better understanding of how culture and diversity differs yet is the same. For example, every culture and diversity uses food, language and religion as some examples to describe their backgrounds, however, their foods, languages and religions differ according to background. Speaking with Carol made me realize the importance of incorporating cultural sameness and difference into everyday classroom activities. It is always good if children are introduced to new things at a young age so that they know how to accept the differences as they get older. Being exposed to the sameness and differences at a young age also decreases difficulties in understanding things they cannot touch, taste or experience. Experiencing sameness and difference gives a child that foundation they need to enter this culturally world that we live in (Sparks & Edwards, 2010). References Sparks, L. & Edwards, J. (2010). Anti- Bias Education.

When I think about catastrophic event and only being able to take three small items with me, immediately, I think of the fact that memories are the best things that to have when being separated from the one’s you love. Thinking further, I think of pictures, a jewelry box and my college diploma. The pictures represent family members that have passed away as well as relatives that are still living but could not take this journey with me. The jewelry box is a gift from my mother. This is a very special gift that I cherish and will forever be protective of just because it came from my mother. My college diploma is something I earned in rememberence of my grandmother. Shortly after I began college, my grandmother took ill all of a sudden and passed away. I took this very hard due to the fact that she was my heart and we had a very close relationship. After her passing, my grades began to fall as well as my interest in continuing this particular journey without her. After I began to mentally get myself back together, I decided that I was going to do whatever I had to do in order to complete this degree and dedicate it to her. As a result of this exercise, I learned the importance of getting and keeping a close relatyionship with the one’s you love. Family is very important and I feel so blessed to have the closeness that I have with my family. We may have our differences here and there, but at the end of the day, we still love and support one another.

I have learned the importance of ethics when conducting research that involves children. It is very important that consent is given by a parent or guardian before a child participates in any research or study. It is also important that the researcher does not include anything that will be damaging to the child in their research. The researcher should also be sure that their research in age appropriate for the children participating. I have gained a sense of how important it is to be organized before and during research. The researcher should gather some information about his or her topic prior to researching. The type of research should also be known so that the researcher knows what direction to go as far as gathering the necessary information. This includes knowing rather the study is quantitative or qualitative. When it comes to planning, designing and conducting research, I learned that research design sets the tone for the research. Research designs are procedures that the research should develop that will guide them throughout their study. If the research design is not in order, there is a great possibility that their research will not be in order. All information and or data must fit together when conducting research. A challenge that I encountered was choosing the right research question. At first, my question was too broad. I met my challenge by narrowing my question down. My perceptions of an early childhood professional have been modified as a result of this course by becoming familiar with the importance of ethics. Ethics is a vital part of protecting children who participate in any research. Consent must be given for a parent or guardian prior to the child participating in the research. As we have come to the close of this course, I would like to thank each and every one of you for the collaboration and input you have contributed to furthering my education on the “how” and “why” aspects of conduction research. Although, this has been a challenging course for me, I am proud to say that I am leaving with much more information than I came with! Again, thank you all I you the best in your future endeavors(!

I think that some of the current international research topics include law, education and war. A surprising fact that I gained from exploring the international childhood website was the large numbers of orphanages in Zambia. These children’s family members have died which has caused them to become orphans. A child that has had one parent to die is referred to as a single orphan. When both of the parents are deceased, the child is referred to as a double orphan. When a child that has lost both of their parents, grandparents on both sided and any other family members they may have had are referred to as multiple orphans. According to the article, HIV/AIDS is the cause of some of these deaths. Poverty and anomie also play parts in the deaths. I also learned of an organization by the name of integrated early childhood care and development (IECD) initiative. This is an organization that works hard to ensure children’s rights are protected. This organization was approved by both the government of Zambia and UNICEF. IECD is an organization that works as advocates for children in several different aspects such as health, nutrition, intellectually and social and emotional care. Reference Akin ware, M. (1987). Pilot Study of the Adaption of an Established Measure to Assess the Quality of Child Services in a Selected Orphanage in Zambia: The Inclusive Quality Assessment. Retrieved from http://www.ecdvu.org/ssa/major reports.php

I would like to use Drake & Josh, Nickelodeon and Disney shows as an example of positive research on children. Many times the negatives that children gain from watching television are brought to everyone’s attention. Not often do you hear about the positive influences that children gain from television. It is all about choices. Positive television shows must be chosen in order to receive positive results. On the other hand, if negative television shows are chosen, the results given will be negative as well. Parents have to be involved in the children’s day to day activities, even television viewing. Children that are unsupervised while watching television will linger throughout the channels and find things that are not so good for them to watch. They also have a tendency to repeat what they have seen, therefore, if they have viewed negativity they will more than likely repeat negative behaviors. If they view positive, they will more than likely repeat positive behaviors. All children should be encouraged to view shows that promote prosocial and other positive behaviors! Reference Wilson, B. (2008). Media and Children’s Aggression, Fear and Alturism.

The topic I chose for the stimulation is poverty and its effects on children and families. I chose this topic because I see on a daily basis how children and their families struggle when it comes to the access they have to education as a result of being poor. I have also heard several stories dealing with children and families not being able to get the best education due to the fact that they live in low income neighborhoods and do not have transportation to get their children back forth to neighborhoods that offer better educational facilities. I have learned that there are several organizations available to assist those in need. I want to be an advocate and ensure that the information is readily available to the families and children in need. I am open to any suggestions on how I should go about spreading this valuable information.

The three consequences of learning about the international early childhood field for my professional and personal development are research and comparison, communication and career opportunities (The Young Learner. Wordpress.com, 2012). Research and comparison enables one to learn more for them and develop their own opinion about the situation. From there the individual can decide rather or not they will chose to have any further dealings with certain people and or companies. Communication makes everything easier because everyone will be one page as far as understanding and willing to respect other’s opinions. Career opportunities are beneficial for one’s independency. Being able to work so that you can care for and support your family is a great feeling. For international awareness and trends, I plan on visiting the Save the Children’s website in an effort to stay abreast of the recent changes that may occur. For spirit of collegial relations, I plan on work on creating and building my link so that my opportunities for searching and learning more about other websites will expand. References Kinder World Blog. (2014). International Early Childhood Field. The Young Learner. Wordpress.com. (2012). Learning about the international early childhood field.

A major issue that I can think of regarding quality and early childhood professionals that are being discussed where I work is professional development. Professional development is a hot topic because educators are always looking for ways to better education. Due to the constant changes that occur these days it is important that educators stay abreast of new and improved teaching techniques. Another reason professional development is so important is because all children learn differently and teachers need to learn several ways in which to reach to successfully teach all of their children ( Lebeau, 2008). Professional development strengthens educator’s abilities to teach their children. Their little brains need to be stimulated and challenged. Parents that want their children enrolled in quality early childhood facilities will do their homework on various centers before making their final choices. Parents will more than likely ask several questions to ensure those that will be educating their child is indeed highly qualified. Parents do not want their children in an educational environment that does not consist of highly qualified educators. Resource Lebeau, M. (2008). The Importance of Professional Development.

As I search the Save the Children’s web page, I found that they break their page down into sections. These sections are labeled who we are, where we work, what we do and our campaigns. Each section breaks down into at least six small sections in an effort to make one have the opportunity to gain a better understanding of their site. In addition, there are places reserved for those that want to make donations, become sponsors, shop gift catalogs, get involved and join their cause. As I browsed through the history section of this site, I found that a female by the name of Eglantyne Jebb was the founder of Save the Children. Eglantyne Jebb was a social crusader during the times of the Allied blockade of offending countries. Jebb dedicated her life to promoting children’s welfare and human rights which changed the way the world treated children. An author by the name of Clare Mulley, which was a fundraiser for Save the Children, wrote a biography on Jebb. In this biography, Mulley introduced Jebb to the world as being the most charismatic, fiercely intelligent, beautiful and influential champions of human rights. Another insight I gained from exploring this web site’s page was the fact that this organization works an advocate for children and families all over the United States. I admire the fact that they fight for children’s protection, education, emergency responses, health and nutrition, hunger and livelihoods and HIV and AIDS. These are very important areas that those in need would benefit from. With adequate assistance in these main areas, I think that those in need would be benefited greatly and placed on a track for success. Resource Save the Children. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6115947/k.8D6E/Official_Site.htm.

The Global Children’s Initiative is an organization that helps poor children economically and health wise. This organization is known for their services all over the world. They strive high to be creative in their works and achieve initiative goals. They work with other organizations to try their best to see that children receive a high quality education. They know and understand the fact that poor families do always have access to healthy living and quality educations, therefore, they collaborate and fight for better living conditions and other things that will grant these children with the skills and other things they need in life. With this organization and other organizations, I love the fact that they also assist with the mental population form these poor backgrounds as well. I think that a lot of times when children grow up in poverty, they develop mental conditions and getting help early on is so important.

Save the Children is one website that I have been following throughout this course. This organization works hard to act as an advocate for the well being of all children. The fact that they work worldwide was relevant to my professional development. I was impressed by the fact that they cover at least 120 countries and have almost 85% of their proceeds are used to benefit programs. The information on this website helps me to better understand how sincere they are when it comes to the wellbeing of children. I learned that they fight to save the lives of children, fight for their rights and assist them in having successful lives. Reference Save the Children. (2014). Every Child Has the Right to Grow Up Healthy and Healthy. Retrieved from http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6115947/k.8D6E/Official_Site.htm. My blog address is http://misskitty1127@blogspot.com

For this week’s blog assignment I chose to have a conversation with the PLC Coach from the school in which I work. I enlightened her about my current course of study and inquired about ways in which the schools assist children that are living in poverty. She began to tell me about programs and resources that are available for homeless and unfortunate children. She stressed the importance of families not to be embarrassed about their situations because if the issue is not brought to the school personnel’s attention, then there is no way they can get assistance. Sometimes the teacher may notice and sometimes they may not. The first assistance program she informed of is a program in which is offered at all Title 1 schools. A Title 1 school is any school that fall under the no child left behind act. This is an act that advocates for children in many ways. One way is to ensure that all children regardless of their situation are treated fairly and receives the same quality education. Title 1 schools have funds available that are used to provide underprivileged children with uniforms and school supplies. These schools also network with community leaders in the event the child and their families are homeless to seek adequate housing and food. This particular school has a program called DIVA, which stands for diligent individuals with vivid aspirations and GENTS. The DIVA’s are for the girls and the GENTS are for the boys. These two organizations were designed for underprivileged children who are unable to afford the costs of other organizations that are offered in the school, for example, football and cheerleading. This program is free and works as a mentoring incentive for these children. They are involved in community service activities and are taught how to effectively carry themselves as young ladies and men in the real world. Reference Fletcher, W. (2014). Shelby County School PLC Coach.

The link for Save the Children is http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6115947/k.8D6E/Official_Site.htm. This organization works the USA and other parts of the world to ensure children are well nourished, safe from abuse and or neglect, have access to adequate education with the opportunity to strive and further their education and assistance in the event of disaster. My attention was caught when I learned that they do as much as they do to help children. They serve in several capacities, not just one. It is interesting learning that there are organizations available to families and children in need.

My first attempt was sent to The Global Fund For Children. I wrote the following to them and am awaiting a response: Hello! My name is Shuketa Phelps and I am from Memphis, TN. in the United States. I am a Graduate student and am studying early childhood at Walden University. I am contacting you in an effort to learn more about you program for children and its benefits. Please enlighten me on the wonderful programs that you offer. My blog address is misskitty1127.blogspot.com. and my email address is shuketa.phelps@waldenu.edu. I look forward to hearing from you soon! Thank You Shuketa The next organization I reached out to was Save The Children. This website was set up differently, so I signed up on their stay informed page and will keep myself updated based on their postings. References The Global Fund for Children: An organization which provides capital to communities worldwide to improve the lives of children. http://www.globalfundforchildren.org/ Save the Children: A U.S. based non-profit organization working on behalf of children worldwide. http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6115947/k.8D6E/Official_Site.htm

Quotes: “Adventure is worthwhile in itself” (Time for Kids, 2014). “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams” (Time for Kids, 2014).   I would like to thank all of my colleagues whom have supported my blog throughout this course.  I must admit, it has really been an adventure working with each and every one of you.  Hopefully, we will get the opportunity to meet again soon in other classes.  Best wishes to your future endeavorments!   Reference Time for Kids. (2014). Quotes for Children.

This week’s blog asks a very good question.  When it comes to my thoughts as to what I believe should be measured or assessed when it comes to viewing young children holistically, I think that testing a child’s short term memory would be a factor.  Working in the school system, I have seen that many lessons being taught are not being detained by some children.  This can be a result of many reasons.  One reason that comes to my mind is the fact that the material being introduced by the teacher to the child does not strike the child’s interest.  I think that when a child is not interested, it is difficult for them to obtain the importance of the material.   I know that it is the teacher’s job to be creative and do what they can to effectively reach and teach each child, however, this does not always take place.  There are some creative teachers and then there are some traditional teachers.  There are also some children that require more teaching time than others when it comes to learning.  This is ok and it is to be expected, but, there must be a way for the school system to allow room teacher’s and children at all different levels.   Just because a child requires more teaching time does not necessarily make them special ed. students.  One the other hand, just because a teacher is a traditional teacher, does not make him or her a bad teacher.  There are different strokes for different folks rather teacher or student.  This means that society has to stay creative as well.  In other words, I think that one has to know the individual in order to know exactly how that individual should be measured or assessed.  The background of the child is a factor too. According to McCauley (1994-2004) young children are difficult subjects to assess accurately because of their activity level and distractibility, shorter attention span, wariness of strangers, and inconsistent performance in unfamiliar environments. Other factors that may affect a child's performance include cultural differences and language barriers, parents not having books to read to their child and a child's lack of interaction with other children. Consequently, assessment of infants, toddlers, and young children requires sensitivity to the child's background, and knowledge of testing limitations and procedures with young children.  Informal relaxed settings where the child can be as much at ease as possible are recommended when doing assessment (McCauley, 1994-2004). Assessing a child within the context of his or her community and the interacting social systems, and taking into account the family's needs, resources, and concerns affect both the evaluation and possible interventions. When testing young children the examiner needs to take certain aspects into account. The young child's immature developmental status influences the responses to testing more than older children or adults. Other considerations, which are important, are the socio-physical environment and sensory integrity of the young child (McCauley, 1994-2004) Reference McCauley, L. (1994-2004). The Developmental Assessment of Young Children.  Retrieved from www.priory.com/psych/assessyoung.htm 

Working in the school system, I have seen how violence affects children.  Some children have experienced violence in their homes or around them.  Most of the time when children are exposed to violence on a regular basis they think that it is the way things are suppose to be.  As a result, they become violent and repeat the actions they have seen.  This behavior becomes a part of their everyday lives. Witnessing or being a part of violence can affect a child mentally and have an effect on their childhood as well as their adulthood.  Constant exposure to violence rather directly or indirectly usually leads to negative outcomes throughout the child’s life.  For example, if a child’s parent is being abused by his or her spouse on a regular basis, the child will suffer.  The parent being abused may become depressed and withdrawn, which will lead to the child being neglected in some way or another (Medscape, 1994). Reference Medscape. (1994). How Does Exposure to Violence Affect Children? 

Nutrition/ Malnutrition is important to me because within this day and time, situations are difficult for most people. Employment is hard to find and some that are employed are still barely making a living. In addition, the cost of food is costly and prices continue to rise. Since food is so high, it is difficult for some people to purchase. As a single parent I must say that food prices are ridiculous. I remember when chicken was priced reasonably. Now the average price of a family package of chicken legs is about $7- $10 dollars. I manage to purchase a balanced meal to prepare for my family. Although the United States has access to adequate food, other countries are not as fortunate as we are. Many suffer from hunger and malnutrition. This has been an issue 1960’s and over 150 million people have been affected. Individuals are currently working to come up with a solution to eliminate this problem (PubMed, 1992). Reference PubMed. (1992). Hunger and Malnutrition: the determinate of development: the case for Africa and its food and nutrition workers.

I can remember when I gave birth to my first child in July 2013. I was sort of hilarious after everything was over. I can remember being so afraid because I had heard so many terrifying stories about childbirth. I used to watch childbirths on television in an effort to prepare myself. Al I could think of was the pain I was about to endure. Once I arrived to the hospital and was prepped for my delivery I started crying. The nurse asked me if I was in pain, I replied no. She then went on to ask me why I was crying. I told her that I was crying because I was scared. She gave me the speech about how everything was going to be ok. By this time, it was time to deliver. The process was so quick for me. I was only in labor for about maybe 45 minutes. In the end, I realized that childbirth is different for each individual. I was thankful mine did not last long. I chose this example because it is most memorable to me being that it was my first time giving birth. I think that prenatal care is extremely important when it comes to birth and its impact on child development. Prenatal care closely monitors the growth and development of the fetus as well as the mother during pregnancy. The earlier prenatal care is started the more effective it will be. Usually if there are any problems with the fetus or the mother, the doctors will catch it and inform the mother. I did a little researching on births in Africa and found that the women in sub-Saharan Africa have a 1 in 16 chance of dying during pregnancy or childbirth compared to 1 in 4,000 risks in developing countries. This is due to the differences between poor and rich countries. Poor countries do not have the access to adequate medical facilities, therefore, they are not able to care for themselves or their babies the way they should. Richer countries have a variety of medical facilities and are readily equipped to care for their children and themselves (UNICEF, 2012). Reference UNICEF. (2012). Childbirth in Africa.

“My Supports” In my opinion support is help of any kind from someone other than self. As I think about my support system, I think of my family. My family is and always has been so supportive. We stick together and support one another. The area of support needed is never too big or too small. If one family member is unable to help support the other on their own, others will step in. I am a single parent raising two boys ages 8 and 12. As hard as it is to raise children on my own, my family has lifted burdens off me in more ways than one. I’ve been supported physically, emotionally and mentally from my family members. I am truly blessed to have such a family that is willing to come together and be so supportive during times of need. Without them, I do not know where my children and I would be. Without my family, I would probably have to entrust in others. This would be a very hard thing for me to do because I am not used to dealing with people other than my family when it comes to asking for support. I would have to choose friends extremely careful due to the fact they will be involved in my personal business including my children. Hopefully, this will never happen.

“My Connections to Play” In our play we reveal what kind of people we are. Ovid Roman poet 43 BC–17 or 18 AD The debt we owe to the play of the imagination is incalculable. Carl Jung Swiss psychoanalyst 1875–1961 When I was younger, play was an everyday part of children’s lives. There were times we would go to the playground if weather permitted as well as free play inside the classroom where I loved to play dress-up! We had play time at home and at school. I think adults looked forward to children playing just as much as we did (children). I feel that play today is different from the play in which I engaged as a child. Children these days seem more advanced early in life as compared to my childhood generation. Children these days also rather play video games, computers, etc. Verses enjoying outside play as I did. I hope that adults would take time out to encourage more outside play and less television, games, etc. As an adult I still value play. I enjoy playing with my children, significant other and other family members. I love to take my children places such as Incredible Pizza and Chuck E Cheese just so I have a reason to play. Yes, I am a big kid at heart!!

I have seen how being homeless or living in poverty can affect children’s learning. A child that is homeless or living in poverty usually does not have access to nice clothes or other things that children whom are not homeless or living in poverty have. These children may suffer with self esteem due to the fact that they do not look as nice as the other children. Sometimes these children are teased by other children. When all these issues are at hand, the child is not able to focus on education. At the school I work for, there is a program for children that are homeless or living in poverty. This program helps with shelter, food, clothes, personal hygiene items and any other things the family needs to help make the child feel confident in the learning environment. Poverty can cause stressors for children and adults. These stressors include but are not limited to physical and mental issues. According to Kilyoung Kim, a child’s brain is immature yet developing at a fast pace. Therefore, the child’s brain is more sensitive to stressful situations than an adult. Long term stressors make matters worse and more difficult for the child to deal with (Ostrow, 2013). Reference Ostrow, N. (2013). Stress of Childhood Poverty May Have Long Effect on Brain.

I can remember when I gave birth to my first child in July 2013. I was sort of hilarious after everything was over. I can remember being so afraid because I had heard so many terrifying stories about childbirth. I used to watch childbirths on television in an effort to prepare myself. Al I could think of was the pain I was about to endure. Once I arrived to the hospital and was prepped for my delivery I started crying. The nurse asked me if I was in pain, I replied no. She then went on to ask me why I was crying. I told her that I was crying because I was scared. She gave me the speech about how everything was going to be ok. By this time, it was time to deliver. The process was so quick for me. I was only in labor for about maybe 45 minutes. In the end, I realized that childbirth is different for each individual. I was thankful mine did not last long. I chose this example because it is most memorable to me being that it was my first time giving birth. I think that prenatal care is extremely important when it comes to birth and its impact on child development. Prenatal care closely monitors the growth and development of the fetus as well as the mother during pregnancy. The earlier prenatal care is started the more effective it will be. Usually if there are any problems with the fetus or the mother, the doctors will catch it and inform the mother. I did a little researching on births in Africa and found that the women in sub-Saharan Africa have a 1 in 16 chance of dying during pregnancy or childbirth compared to 1 in 4,000 risks in developing countries. This is due to the differences between poor and rich countries. Poor countries do not have the access to adequate medical facilities, therefore, they are not able to care for themselves or their babies the way they should. Richer countries have a variety of medical facilities and are readily equipped to care for their children and themselves (UNICEF, 2012). Reference UNICEF. (2012). Childbirth in Africa.