While lack of steady, well-paying jobs is a major factor contributing to poverty across many European countries, political upheaval has also played a huge role. Some countries are still recovering from a past Communist regime, as well as war leaving many children displaced from their homes. From refugee children fleeing Ukraine, to street kids in Albania, to children growing up in the sewers of Romania, many children are left alone and without a family, trying to provide food for themselves.

For many children in Latin America, poverty can be confusing. Within just a few miles of a slum community, there are gated communities and large houses with full refrigerators. This unbalanced distribution of wealth is common throughout Latin America, and it is very difficult for impoverished families to break out of poverty. With many families unable to get decent jobs, it is difficult to put food on the table.

Across Africa, there are millions of orphans, and not all of them are because their parents are no longer living. The population across the African continent continues to grow at a rapid pace. For families already struggling to provide enough to eat, this means more mouths to feed. Parents are often unable to care for their children and they end up in orphanages or living on the street. Without the education and skills to earn a decent income, there may not be enough money to provide sufficient food, leading to malnutrition and poor health.

For many Asian countries, agriculture is a main source of income for billions of people. For a part of the world regularly plagued by natural disasters, this causes drastic economic losses. When families are unable to find regular work, they may be vulnerable to forced labor—including the children! In many parts of Asia where Children’s Hunger Fund serves, traffickers look for children in great need to lure them into dangerous situations with promises of food and shelter.

Even though the United States is one of the wealthiest countries in the world, there are many children and families who are facing food insecurity, and it is not always easy to see. They may live in a home but cannot afford electricity or regular meals. For many children, summers are especially difficult. During the school year, schools across the country offer free and reduced-price meals. Unfortunately, those meals end when summer starts. Children facing poverty in the US may not know when they will have their next meal or if they will go to bed hungry.