The Orphan Crisis And Why There is Such Need to Help

There are over 150 million orphans worldwide. In Mexico alone, there are over 400,000 living without parents, and 30,000 of those being cared for in orphanages.  In just the Baja Norte region there are between 100-120 known orphanages caring for 2,500+ abandoned or orphaned children.  The numbers are staggering.  And people always ask two things:

1. Why are there so many abandoned or orphaned children?

1. Why is there such a need to help fund or offer assistance to the orphanages?

The reason there are so many children living without parents, is due to numerous factors including maternal mortality, AIDS, children with disabilities, femicide, prostitution and gang involvement, violence related to cartel activities, and adolescent pregnancies. But bottom line, extreme poverty is the main contributor to this problem. To make matters worse, there is a lack of welfare and social programs in many countries such as Mexico, which if available, could potentially better help families stay together.

The reason the orphanages need assistance is simply due to the sheer number of children that are desperate for protected shelter.  Most orphanages do not receive government funding. So it is left up to private and corporate donors, churches, civic groups, and charitable organizations to help provide for the kids.