Streetwise, a local magazine written and sold by Chicagoans affected by homelessness, had a great issue over the New Years. For those that don’t know Streetwise is a real asset to the community. In a job market that has far too few entry level positions, this non-profit allows those who are homeless or in fear of homelessness to become vendors and create their own small business.
Obviously, key to this plan is providing a publication worth-reading. I must say they did a wonderful job on this last issue. The best article was on orphans in Malawi. Orphanages play an expanded role in much the developing. It does not just mean children with no living parents – they often have one parent or parents who have temporarily fallen on hard times. After a period of time, those children are often sent home. This misconception is widespread in the West – just think about Madonna’s failed bid to adopt a child in that country. It turned out that the father was alive and well and sought back custody. The biggest message of the article: the government should take a larger role in protecting these children.
Keep an eye out for future issues of this well-written magazine!
Andrew Levin 