Vulnerable children in Latin America face harsh realities

Abogar serves children in Latin America who don’t have a solid family or a support system. “Vulnerable children” or “at-risk youth” are terms used describe these precious children who are often the most vulnerable to prostitution or violence, to being trafficked or turned into child soldiers. These children are often orphaned or in families facing circumstances so dire, they are at risk of falling apart.

These children may become abandoned, which can mean much more than being left on a doorstep. There is usually quite a bit going on behind the scenes, and it could be a situation in which the parents have no ability to care for their child, and the child has had to leave or be removed from the parents. This is commonly how children end up on the streets. Abuse may be connected and can be the result of the parents’ frustration in their own inabilities.

As a result of being at risk or abandoned, homelessness may become a reality for these children. This is a place of great danger for the child and often the point at which the child stops being on track to becoming an engaged participant in society.

To understand better the realities faced by many children in Latin America, particularly children on the street, see the following article published by NCBI: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1113205. These realities are heartbreaking. These realities are what motivate Abogar to minister to these children and advocate on their behalf.