VOA标准英语2009-Mexico's State of Chiapas Aims to Reduce Pov

Mexico's southernmost State of Chiapas is beautiful and well endowed with natural resources. It has all the elements for success. And, yet, it is the poorest region in the country. The reasons for this are many including a large indigenous¹ population, high rates of illiteracy² and lack of infrastructure³. The state government wants to turn this around. It has signed an ambitious agreement with the United Nations - the first of its kind in Mexico - to work together to reduce poverty. Its aim is to meet the UN Millennium⁴ Development Goal of cutting poverty in half by 2015.

One of the many delights of Tuxtla Gutierras, the capital of Chiapas is the Marimba Park. Every evening between 6:00 and 9:00 p.m. people of all ages go there to listen and dance to the music. But, what is most striking is the number of elderly, care worn men and women who stop in the park after a long day's work. Their clothes and deeply wrinkled faces betray a life of poverty and hardship. But, when they dance, their faces light up and their cares just slip away.

"We are in a straight fight against poverty, against extreme poverty. So, we have subscribed⁵ an agreement with the UN system so that they can guide us in that economic, political and social exercise," says Blanca Esponda, chief strategy planner for the government of Chiapas.

Esponda says the agreement with the UN is unusual in that it bypasses the federal government. She says local problems are best dealt with on a local level where the struggles of local people are best understood.

"And, therefore, we decided⁶ that we needed sort of a map road on how to reach the goal that we want, which is to diminish poverty in Chiapas. We know we cannot eradicate⁷ poverty, not in a short term anyway. But, while this government is in office, we certainly want to bring up the level of the extreme poverty that we suffer in 28 particular municipalities," she said.

The 28 districts are ranked on the bottom of the UN Development Program's Human Development Index for Mexico. They are rural farming communities, largely populated by indigenous people, who cling to their traditions and reject integration⁸ into Western society. Many do not speak Spanish and are illiterate⁹.

Esponda tells VOA the government decided to ask the United Nations for help after it realized that many of the indigenous communities lacked access to basic education.

"We discovered as we entered into the government that many children, small children were not attending school. And, we were very concerned about that. So, we looked for UNICEF, and then we decided to establish a program to call all the children to school and with their guidance we were very successful," she said.

When opportunity knocks, you should grab it. That, at least, is what the governor's wife, Maria Isabella Sabenas believes. She is president of DIF, the Department for the Infancy¹⁰ and Families of Chiapas. Under her direction, aid workers go into small communities and literally¹¹ knock on every door to ferret out the children who do not go to school. UNICEF has honored her for her achievements.

"Last year, we got 32,000 children in school. This year, we are targeting 10 to 15,000 more. So that means 57,000 more children will be helped. People continue to knock on the doors looking for all the children. We also are trying to get schools to make more room for them," she said.

Sabenas says the program provides the children with backpacks and uniforms. It even gives bicycles to those who live very long distances away from a school. Her institute also dispenses¹² a million breakfasts for poor children.

"We will struggle to achieve many of the development goals. And, in particular, the region has a lot of challenges, particularly I would say in maternal¹³ death and infant death and HIV," she said.

Marianna Diaz Amador is Deputy Director of the UN Development Program's Office in Chiapas. She says the UN agreement with Chiapas is ambitious. It encompasses¹⁴ 20 initiatives, which cover a range of needs.

She says the mandate¹⁵ of her agency is to eradicate poverty and help the government achieve their development objectives.

"We are working not only with indigenous people," she explained. "There are 28 municipalities, with the lowest Human Development Index. So they are in a very, very bad condition with marginalization, poverty in general…We are aiming at promoting gender¹⁶ equality. That is one of our mainstreaming initiatives and also environmental sustainability, which is also another of our mainstreaming initiatives."

The challenges are enormous. Chiapas suffers from the highest rate of malnutrition¹⁷ in Mexico. Maternal mortality is high. So is infant mortality. HIV/AIDS is widespread because of the large number of migrants crossing the border from other countries in Central America.

But, the government is composed of young, enthusiastic ministers committed to making things better. It is not clear whether they will win their fight against poverty. But, they are determined¹⁸ to try. And, if all else fails, there's always the Marimba to lift their spirits.

1 indigenous   

adj.土产的，土生土长的，本地的

参考例句：

• Each country has its own indigenous cultural tradition.每个国家都有自己本土的文化传统。
• Indians were the indigenous inhabitants of America.印第安人是美洲的土著居民。

2 illiteracy   

n.文盲

参考例句：

• It is encouraging to read that illiteracy is declining.从读报中了解文盲情况正在好转，这是令人鼓舞的。
• We must do away with illiteracy.我们必须扫除文盲。

3 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

4 millennium   

n.一千年，千禧年；太平盛世

参考例句：

• The whole world was counting down to the new millennium.全世界都在倒计时迎接新千年的到来。
• We waited as the clock ticked away the last few seconds of the old millennium.我们静候着时钟滴答走过千年的最后几秒钟。

5 subscribed   

v.捐助( subscribe的过去式和过去分词 )；签署，题词；订阅；同意

参考例句：

• It is not a theory that is commonly subscribed to. 一般人并不赞成这个理论。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I subscribed my name to the document. 我在文件上签了字。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

7 eradicate   

v.根除，消灭，杜绝

参考例句：

• These insects are very difficult to eradicate.这些昆虫很难根除。
• They are already battling to eradicate illnesses such as malaria and tetanus.他们已经在努力消灭疟疾、破伤风等疾病。

8 integration   

n.一体化，联合，结合

参考例句：

• We are working to bring about closer political integration in the EU.我们正在努力实现欧盟內部更加紧密的政治一体化。
• This was the greatest event in the annals of European integration.这是欧洲统一史上最重大的事件。

9 illiterate   

adj.文盲的；无知的；n.文盲

参考例句：

• There are still many illiterate people in our country.在我国还有许多文盲。
• I was an illiterate in the old society,but now I can read.我这个旧社会的文盲，今天也认字了。

10 infancy   

n.婴儿期；幼年期；初期

参考例句：

• He came to England in his infancy.他幼年时期来到英国。
• Their research is only in its infancy.他们的研究处于初级阶段。

11 literally   

adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实

参考例句：

• He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
• Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。

12 dispenses   

v.分配，分与；分配( dispense的第三人称单数 )；施与；配（药）

参考例句：

• The machine dispenses a range of drinks and snacks. 这台机器发售各种饮料和小吃。
• This machine dispenses coffee. 这台机器发售咖啡。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 maternal   

adj.母亲的，母亲般的，母系的，母方的

参考例句：

• He is my maternal uncle.他是我舅舅。
• The sight of the hopeless little boy aroused her maternal instincts.那个绝望的小男孩的模样唤起了她的母性。

14 encompasses   

v.围绕( encompass的第三人称单数 )；包围；包含；包括

参考例句：

• The job encompasses a wide range of responsibilities. 这项工作涉及的职责范围很广。
• Its conservation law encompasses both its magnitude and its direction. 它的守恒定律包括大小和方向两方面。 来自辞典例句

15 mandate   

n.托管地；命令，指示

参考例句：

• The President had a clear mandate to end the war.总统得到明确的授权结束那场战争。
• The General Election gave him no such mandate.大选并未授予他这种权力。

16 gender   

n.（生理上的）性，（名词、代词等的）性

参考例句：

• French differs from English in having gender for all nouns.法语不同于英语，所有的名词都有性。
• Women are sometimes denied opportunities solely because of their gender.妇女有时仅仅因为性别而无法获得种种机会。

17 malnutrition   

n.营养不良

参考例句：

• In Africa, there are a lot of children suffering from severe malnutrition.在非洲有大批严重营养不良的孩子。
• It is a classic case of malnutrition. 这是营养不良的典型病例。

18 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。