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Child poverty is a global concern, but it's exceptionally alarming in Mexico. According to UNICEF, over20 million Mexican children live below the poverty line. Those kids in rural areas have it even worse because they don't even have access to primary resources, many of them have dropped out of school, and a significant part lives in extreme poverty.

In some states like Oaxaca, child poverty rates are as high as 70%. If you’re planning on moving or visiting Mexico soon, this should concern you because this is their reality.

Here, you’ll meet four powerful tools to help fight child poverty in Mexico, so you can do your part if you’re going to Mexico soon.

Understanding the problem

Although poverty is one of the biggest challenges in the country, it’s essential to understand that it affects people in different ways. Poverty consequences in Mexico are pretty different than US consequences, with challenges like low access to health care, child marriage situations, and a high rate of dropping high school due to the pandemic.

Many other factors contribute to the problem of poor children in Mexico, but the ones that contribute to the cycle of poverty include but are not limited to:

● A low minimum wage. The minimum wage for a worker in Mexico is about MXN 173 per day,just USD 8.50 per day. How can parents provide for their children if they barely have enough money to sustain themselves? That’s just one of the reasons why so many children and their families live in poverty in Mexico: they cannot get the proper nutrition they need.

● Weak educational achievements. Although Mexico’s education system has improved recently, it’s still not up to par. Many children in poverty in Mexico don’t get the chance to go to school. In many cases, schools in rural areas are barely functional, with teachers who are not adequately trained and classrooms that don’t even have desks.

Get Equipped With the Right Tools

The best way to tackle child poverty in Mexico is to be prepared. You have to be equipped with the right tools to help the less fortunate and make life easier for them.

Being prepared requires everything from understanding the problem to supporting the younger. Allowing these kids access to aid programs, making donations, or raising your voice to their plight are great ways to help those who need it most.

Being prepared to help is also crucial for those children who are starting school and are exposed to bullying or discrimination because of their economic situation. You should also ensure that if you support children living in an orphanage or foster home, they’ll have all the resources, services, and psychological support they need to live with dignity.

Create strategies for finding opportunities for children and teens

Many children living in poverty in Mexico are in this situation because their parents cannot find stable jobs. You can help their families and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) prepare them for this challenge.

You can look for opportunities to help parents get ahead, such as training courses to get them into the workforce and support them in acquiring new opportunities for education if they have not finished their studies.

Also, you can support their children by getting them involved in extracurricular activities or enrolling them in language classes to improve their future job opportunities.

Check out local childcare options

If the conditions where these children live are entirely unsafe for them, you can find out how many shelters or similar options exist in the Mexico area where you are for children who cannot be helped by their parents or who live alone.

Be sure to do your research and talk to people who know about these places. Doing this work will help you avoid orphanages or foster homes that may put vulnerable children at risk.

You should also join and support these organizations dedicated to helping kids alone and at risk of poverty. If you are appropriately informed, you will help at a great level to handle the challenges of child poverty in Mexico, making the lives of millions of children manageable and happier.

In Fundación Esperanza Contigo, we help abandoned children in Tijuana, Mexico, to live the life they deserve.

We serve foster houses throughout Tijuana, helping them with shelter, education, and healthcare programs for the most vulnerable kids in the city.

Wanna help us? Support us today by donating and volunteering with us.