Millions of children across the world are afflicted with poverty. Life is not a bed of roses for them. For them, life is sleeping on the floor in a cold room, studying with an empty stomach, getting bullied at school, having to work from an early age, taking care of your entire family, and looking at other kids go on trips with their friends and having fun.
What are the effects of poverty on children?
Children stuck in the darkness of poverty find it very hard to function normally in society. They do not get the same opportunities as other children of their age. They can’t just focus on their studies and have fun with their friends. They have to struggle and hustle every single day just to make it through the day. They wake up in the morning on an empty stomach, and most go to sleep on an empty stomach as well. They aren’t as privileged as other children of their age.
Children affected by poverty have to work part-time jobs along with going to school. Due to the lack of money, they do not have access to the same study material as their peers, such as WiFi, the internet, or a laptop. They also have to miss out on trips with their friends because they simply can’t afford it. These are just some of the troubles and obstacles these children have to pass, and there are many more, including:
Poverty, school, and friends
The majority of the poor children are unable to afford school. And the lucky ones who manage to get to school find a million obstacles they have to face at school. Poor children do not have access to many facilities such as the internet, books, and other learning material. So they have to work extra hard as compared to their peers.
Also, it’s very difficult to make friends. Who wants to be friends with the poor kid, right? In a society that runs after luxury and riches, poor children find it difficult to form proper friendships. And even if they do have friends, they cannot afford all the things their friends do together. Merely taking the bus can be too expensive for a child inflicted with poverty.
Mental health
Living in poor households can make children fall victim to low self-esteem. They may be shy, isolated, and scared. For them, every day is a battle that they have to fight alone. Lack of money can make anyone feel stressed and depressed. Such children are more likely to fight and lose their temper, easily creating a toxic household environment that makes it difficult to grow in.
How are they supposed to focus on getting good grades when they have other problems to worry about, such as lack of water, lack of food, cold or extreme weather, and a daily part-time job. Apart from this, constantly getting bullied at school can be very harmful to their mental health, and they might even have suicidal thoughts. And the worst part is they can’t even seek help because they would need money for that. They are thrown into a pit of despair and shut off by society.
How can you help?
The best way to help the poor is to give out charity. To be generous and kind to them. Over a million children go to sleep on a hungry stomach because they don’t have the means to buy bread. Become a No Kid hungry volunteer and help make this society safe and equal for all children.
