Children, their societies and families may remain in poverty for a variety of reasons. Wars, civil strife and natural catastrophes will destroy the infrastructure that communities cannot afford to restore, disrupting the livelihoods of the people who live there. Natural disasters, such as droughts, will also impact the local economies, which mean that households cannot afford to pay for food or feed their children.
In other instances, people are held back in their communities on the grounds of gender, race, nationality, religion or other considerations. Excluded people cannot actively engage in their cultures or function according to their wishes and beliefs
There is no solution to end child poverty, but there are successful ways to alleviate child poverty and enable children in developed countries to break the loop. Below, we presented a systemic approach to child welfare that approaches the problem from several perspectives. This requires, from the point of view of essential necessities, such as access to food and water, as well as practical living standards, including schooling, health care and empowerment.
Keep reading to learn five ways we can help alleviate child poverty globally, and also what you can do to make a small difference with a huge impact.
Focus on providing access to clean and safe water
Entry to secure and clean water is a crucial requirement. All people need water to drink, shower, cook and keep them clean. It is also an important resource for all, especially for children in general, access to clean water ensures a child who is protected from water – borne diseases, which not only affects their wellbeing but may have a negative effect on their learning if they skip school time due to an illness.
The risk of infection is especially high in populations lacking proper hygiene methods, hygiene or health services. Microscopic organisms also act as vectors for these viruses, surviving and thriving in the water that communities give their kids to drink.
When safe water is provided, hygienic preparation means that households have a healthier lifestyle. Entry to clean water is the first step in the development of modern wastewater systems, including safe and affordable toilets, drains and sewage treatment, which also stops disease from spreading.
Offer a better allocation of food resources
A nutritional deficiency is due to food shortages due to natural calamities, economic depression or low incomes. Children require a daily intake of nutrients to ensure healthy health and wellbeing and to provide them with the resources they need to engage successfully in their schooling.
Mal-nourishment can hinder children’s development and lead to significant and, in some instances, life-threatening health problems. It is reported that 150 million under-five-year-olds were affected by stunted growth in 2017. Kids in hunger also lack iron, iodine, vitamin A and zinc, deficiencies that can influence both cognitive capacity and development.
Hunger is a major part of the natural cycle of poverty. Starving kids have less stamina, decreased brain capacity and a reduced body size, which means that they would not be able to succeed in their school. This means that they are more likely to be found as unskilled workers, earn a poor wage, and hence the poverty cycle begins.
Educate each child
Access to education is a critical step in reducing poverty. Children need schooling in order to gain abilities and understanding to understand about themselves and the environment around them. Skilled children will become people who are the drivers of progress in poverty-stricken societies.
How do we better ensure that children in need access quality education?
We can increase awareness among community members, elders and parents about the importance of education for children, particularly their daughters. In the areas where we work, we have found that this approach is highly successful in retaining children in school and avoiding child marriage.
We’re all going to have to guarantee the classrooms are child-friendly. This means that we need to help supply schools, especially schools in rural areas, with the services that teachers must provide high quality of education. Things include chairs, chalkboards, books on the shelf and athletic equipment. We also educate teachers in child-friendly instructional strategies that are more effective than rote learning in involving children, enhancing reading and literacy skills, and retaining kids in school.
Improving access to medical care, prevention and treatment
It is likely that, at some point, young children will become ill. In such situations, access to health services is important for maintaining their well-being and for addressing any chronic health problems that may occur. Unfortunately, about half of the population is not provided by basic healthcare issues.
Working to improve access to healthcare is the key to reducing child mortality in developing nations. If we can’t combat the disease by prevention and treatment, our initiatives in other ways will be in pointless.
Empowerment and gender
Women are among the most vulnerable groups in developed countries. Long-standing cultural beliefs prohibit them from being equal in schooling, employment, wages, property and access to such medical care or facilities. Women’s empowerment with the protections and opportunities they deserve to flee oppression is important if we want to support their children.
In most developed nations, girls’ education is not as highly regarded as it is for boys. Girls are less likely to continue in school and could be taken out by their family and save resources or enter into child marriage.
Women are paying the lowest salary for jobs in developed countries. They still serve the most hours as they are counting against unpaid working hours at home, meeting the demands of domestic responsibilities and caring for children. In cases of abusive marriages, women can be left trapped in abusive relationships without the funds to defend themselves or their children if they leave their marital home.
Is it possible to minimize child poverty?
Yeah, that’s it. It’s not going to happen immediately. It requires time for behaviors to shift, facilities to be developed, and efforts to strengthen schooling, wellness and prosperity to see meaningful effects. Yet, as we’ve learned in the neighborhoods where we work, the methods we’ve already discussed make a difference.
It’s up to you now. Will you want to help alleviate child poverty? Learn how you can help Mindful Missions of SC and make a big difference to children in need.