The aspect of the Lower 9th Ward which inspired me to be a proactive contributor to the restoration of The Village was the correlation between lack of education and crime within this area of New Orleans. Right now the Lower 9th Ward has one of the highest crime rates in the United States due to not only the lack of funding for community support and repair, but more importantly, the lack of appropriate education for the young in the area. As a proponent of education, the fact that the children in this area currently only have access to one school, where previous to Hurricane Katrina they had seven, is devastating to discover. Worse, this one school covers barely two blocks of space and houses grades K-12. Moreover, due to student overflow and the competitiveness of getting into nearby public schools, many kids are forced to board school buses at five in the morning and return home at six at night in order to get a semblance of an education. This tight schedule is harsh on the younger generation as they are unable to attend after school tutoring sessions and participate in after school activities such as sports due to their strict and lengthy commuting schedules. As a result their grades plummet, the children feel as though they cannot succeed in their academic endeavors and look for other methods of survival… crime.
The Village founder, Mack, is attempting to combat this serious problem through providing the Lower 9
th Ward children with a safe haven. A place where kids can be supported intellectually as well as physically through giving kids the sports and educational opportunities they deserve. Hopefully with a continuous flow of funding and volunteers, Mack can encourage the younger generation to aim high
and allow The Village to continue to be a reality.
For more information about the Lower Ninth Ward Village please visit their website here and if you would like to make a donation, you can do that here.
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