Dennie Quill, Contributor

I am pleased that Supreme Ventures, operators of the Lotto, has taken the initiative to assist poor students in their preparation for the new school year. There are many other companies that use their success to benefit the communities in which they operate. There should be applause and warranted hope for all such corporate initiatives. Jamaica definitely needs more of this kind of action, which carries with it immense potential to make an impact on our tough social problems.

Lately, I have been listening to the stories of some children who fall into the category of 'youth-at-risk' and there is a similar thread running through all these stories - absent parents, one parent (usually a struggling mother), no schooling or interrupted education, poor living conditions, sexual abuse, and above all, lack of love. Many slip into a life of delinquency.

Psychological problems

Scores of children in our country do not share a home with mother and father. The experts say children who grow up outside an intact family are more than twice likely to experience serious psychological or social problems as their peers who grow up with intact families.

Article 27 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child recognises the right of every child to a standard of living adequate for physical, mental, spiritual, moral and social development, and that parent(s) or others responsible for the child have the primary responsibility to secure, within their abilities and financial capacities, the conditions of living necessary for the child's development. But, who is really paying attention to this?

It is obvious that government programmes and assistance are not enough to answer the social problems relating to our children. Indeed, successive governments have not enforced compulsory education. Not even the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other charities are sufficiently equipped to deal with the situation of children at risk. It therefore calls for an imaginative public response.

Many of us who have had the benefit of a nurturing upbringing and caring parents also came from poor backgrounds.

However, our parents kept drilling the idea into our heads that it was imperative for us to be better educated than they were and to arrive at a better place in life than they did. Yes, we faced obstacles, but many of us were prevented from stumbling by strong, dedicated parents who minimised the barriers to achieving success.

I believe every individual who has been so blessed has an obligation to help now and in the future. If we failed to assist these children in the long-term Jamaica will become a hell on earth - more robberies, more murders.

I have been thinking about this intensely over the past week, remembering that I too have been the victim of robbery - the likely perpetrator perhaps being a victim of parental neglect. But I have decided that if I can assist in saving one child from future criminal behaviour, it would be well worth the effort.

Financial assistance

I am now helping two high school students in their back-to-school preparations. I have taken on the responsibility of paying school fees for a girl and helping with the books and supplies for a boy. By doing this I am helping these two students to develop self-confidence and self-worth and perhaps protect them from becoming drop-outs.

If you believe as I do that a society that ignores its children will fall into social decay, wake up and do something. I would like to appeal to every Jamaican to do whatever you can to assist even one child. You could offer to assist with bus fares, examination fees or lunch money. Let's start a campaign to help one. I suggest you call your alma mater and ask the principal which students need help. If you have children in school, give them extra money so they may buy lunch for a needy child even one day a week.

I would love to hear from readers who would like to join in this effort, beginning with one.

Dennie Quill is a veteran journalist who may be reached at denniequill@hotmail.com.