No child should be poor

Yesterday morning, hurrying to get a ride to a meeting, I came across a little girl about to enter our village gate. She was clad in dirty t-shirt and shorts, and was barefoot. I am one who can never accept that a child should be in such condition. I stopped her and asked why she had no slippers, as if i didn't know why. She told me she was eight and didn't go to school. Knowing that we kept some small slippers at home for such kids, I told her to go to our house, a few blocks away, to look for my mom or my brother who can give her a pair. I scribbled on a piece of paper our home address and a note to my brother about the slippers. I asked the little girl if she could read or remember the number i wrote. She said yes. But she didn't go to our home, I learned later. 

For how long still should children be poor in clothes, food, shelter, and education? For how long still should children--and their present and future--be victims of poverty? I hope not for long.