GREECE CRISIS DEEPENS ; MORE CHILDREN AT RISK FOR FAMINE

 

photo: guardian UK

Greece's crisis, amidst calls from economist that the end of the depression is in 'sight for 2014', is instead exacting a devastating toll on its citizens.  

Unemployment has reached almost 28%, and the debt load of the bailout might never be repaid, even with the additional and in some cases crushing tax levies.

What is more astounding however, is the abysmal fate of the children of Athens.  In the capitals, children were used to play in the streets, as the crime rate had always been very low.  Now the children are gone, even as many homeless people are crowding the dirty, unkempt streets.

And the reason for the children disappearing is hunger.  Greece is now in the same position as some third world countries, where children are the first victims of extreme poverty and lack of resources. 

Now children scurry in narrow alleys in search of food from trash bins, or pleading with more fortunate schoolmates for leftovers.  Some of them are so hungry that they bend over in two while at school and faint.

 

The teachers in Greece are noticing dangerous signs of malnourishment in their pupils. Many parents are too proud to ask for help and suffer in silence, sending their children to school in pitiful conditions.  

Some doctors are worried that Greece is reaching levels never seen in Europe, and very similar to some African countries.  

The problem often, is that both parents are out of work.  And the school system in Greece does not offer free lunches.  To make matters much worse, tax levies on utilities such as electricity and cuts in subsidies or social programs have left some families with nowhere to go for help.  

There is no longer a safety network for anyone in Greece.   

The government of Greece, which tried to minimize such reports is now acknowledging that there is a problem.  But their emphasis is on repaying the bailout, without which they say, Greece cannot hope to regain solid footing economically.  They cite the fact that even the EU is no longer talking of Greece's exit from the Euro zone.  

But that is cold comfort to those people who have absolutely no prospect of work and no food on their table.

Partial Source: NYT 4.18.13