3 minute Peonage and Poverty_0001.wmv
Channel: milliedroste
Date: 2011-08-05

The Mississippi Delta is the poorest area of the US and the most underinsured.  Peonage is an extension of slavery as the sharecropper can spend up to 90 years paying off the debt of renting a run down house.  These folks send their children, from age 3-4 years of age, into the fields to help finance groceries and pay off debt to the farmer.  The homes they rent from the farmer are often horrible with no running water or electricity.  It is hard to imagine this goes on in our country.  Education for these children is the key to getting out of this situation.  
We are planning a trip to the Mississippi Delta to take book bags and school supplies to the children of the Delta August 11-14.  The seven students, 3 Columbus Rotarians, the principal of South High School and 3 staff members and a chief from Ghana are going.  This situation came to light when, under the Service above Self projects sponsored by Columbus Rotary, the South High Students presented a documentary on this situation.  My heart was moved to try to help these folks.  There are no libraries in the area and the high school kids cannot go to school since the school is 12-13 miles away and there is no busing.  The children have no school supplies.  Pleae let us know if you can help.