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The 1990's have brought about many positive and / or negative changes. What do you think? Will Welfare Reform leave many of us homeless and will the homeless be given any hope? Money. Who would you be without it? These are just a few questions many of us fear in the future. If you found yourself out of employment and out on the streets wouldn’t it be a comfort to know that you are not alone.

Kensington Welfare Rights Union (KWRU). KWRU has become the backbone to many living "skeletons" living in this world unfortunate of having or maintaining what the have’s have. There are millions of people living homeless and are becoming homeless everyday. The purpose of KWRU is to "guarantee the rights due to every human being from birth." KWRU’s mission is give individuals what they are entitled to under the Economic Human Rights, which is expressed in articles 23, 25, and 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

• Article 23: The right to jobs at a living wage and just conditions of work. Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favorable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment...Everyone who works has the right to just and favorable remuneration ensuring for himself and his family an existence worthy of human dignity, and supplemented, if necessary, by other means of social protection...Everyone has the right to form and to join trade unions.

• Article 25: Right to well being of a person and their family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control. Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special protection.

• Article 26: Right to education. Everyone has the right to education...

The Kensington Welfare Rights Union has held one national Economic Human Rights Tribunal. It has also brought issues of human rights violations to the United Nations and KWRU continues to monitor these violations across the country. As KWRU gros in number, those unfortunate become followers for A Better Chance of living. KWRU keeps the spirits up of those individuals who have become unfortunate of losing stability and security due to the drastic economic statistics through the years. As the backbone strengthens, those individuals are feeling a need to keep looking forward to the equal opportunities due unto them and they feel a sense of security to know that they are not alone because someone feels their anguish, their pain, frustration and disappointment with the government. As any individual living in this nation, let’s not be inconsiderate by expressing the me, me, me...I, I, I.., let’s look at the us, us, us, and we, we, we.

I strongly view the welfare reform as a means to an end for those willing and trying to achieve financial success for the future of their families strongly believe that the process should’ve been in effect years ago. I strongly agree that welfare is a right, not a privilege. To lobby for the benefits-when forced to do so, should be seen as something positive for a change in the system. I disagree with the perception of asking for more money-which isn’t there to be given by our government. We should be able to comply with the new system, provide better jobs, increase minimum wage, provide job training and even get those unfortunate of having an education--enrolled in educational programs. All of these factors should be expressed in the welfare reform. The recipients should be informed that it’s not going to be easy--always blaming the system for not wanting to continue assisting them in their financial obligations. These mothers should be more ready to accept the change to break the cycle of our future generations having unaffordable babies and ‘waiting on the check’.

I know that many of the mothers do have the potential to strive for a better education which will allow them to reach financial stability and give them higher self-esteem. Given the right opportunities and the encouragement to improve their lives, many mothers will take the welfare reform to their advantage and push themselves to strive for a better future for them and their children. The welfare system has come a long way through the years and in the 90's--welfare has taken a more positive direction to gradually get young mothers to become more responsible and to at least think twice before bringing into this world another child which they might not be able to afford. I give the welfare reform two-thumbs up and wish it to be successful. Those mothers who use the system to their advantage will come out on top-being able to seek employment with the education to guarantee such financial achievement.

Without taking the initiative for better change, many jobless mothers will continue to expect the government to support them forever. The thought of "waiting on the check’ is more rewarding for them easily than getting out and earning the benefits in a more productive sense to maintain financial success through education and job training. The thought of earning a decent income threatens many mothers who have lived on/off the system for many years. They may feel the need to do better but hesitant on the though of doing so when forced. I think they should be forced to do so and live up to higher expectations for themselves and the future of their children. How can we expect change when those who really need it are afraid to accept the changes for themselves to improve their misfortune. I strongly agree that with the adequate training, adequate jobs, and with adequate pay--welfare reform will be successful. To offer such incentives ill encourage the recipients to get-up, get out, and search for employment that will accommodate their lives. Most recipients want to complain about the ‘dime a dozen jobs’ but they fail to realize that without the adequate skills to improve their job sites-they will be faced with working at those job sites in order to receive their benefits. Time is of the essence and most of their time is narrowing down. Welfare reform, within itself will benefit the recipients to do better and to maintain their financial obligations. We as a country have to take pride in our system and welfare recipients need to take pride in themselves and look forward to the future lives of their children. The future generations need to be taught to work hard for what they want--not to ‘wait on the check’.

Tabitha Sabb is a student at Delaware Technical and Community College, studying for her degree in drug and alcohol counseling.