Spanish economic forecasts indicate that GDP is evolving positively. The economy grew by 0.8% in the last quarterwhile year-on-year growth stands at 2.4%, exceeding the forecasts of expert panels. These data, however, contrasts with the figures for child poverty in our country.
According to the study, UNICEF The situation of children in the European Union 2024, In Spain, two million children are at risk of poverty or social exclusion; that’s to say, 28% of the Spanish child populationThis places Spain among the countries with the highest child poverty rates in Europe.
All this, even if our country is also the ninth with the highest levels of well-being and satisfactionand Europe is one of the most prosperous continents in the world. It is therefore striking that Spain is one of the countries where society suffers from social needs and inequalities, which restricts equal opportunities for its citizens.
The Danger of Chronic Poverty
One of the great dangers of lack of opportunitiesespecially among children and adolescents, is that poverty persists forever and becomes chronic, leaving behind talented people whom we will nevertheless not be able to integrate into our society.
And the one known as circle of poverty It is usually hereditary, it is transmitted from parents to children and it is one of the most complicated problems to solve. It is therefore urgent and necessary develop social initiatives and projects that put education at the center of everythingIt is a powerful tool that breaks this hereditary thread of poverty among groups at risk of social exclusion.
By not doing so, they stand out in the study The cost of child poverty, from the “la Caixa” FoundationThe social, human and economic costs for countries suffering from child poverty will be very high, particularly those associated with job lossthe country’s competitiveness, a deterioration of the quality of life and health of societyetc., with the resulting economic impact.
Along the same lines, the “la Caixa” Foundation also determines that child poverty is associated with a 30% higher probability of being in poor health, 36% more likely to be overweight And 12% more likely to suffer from depression in adulthood. Maintaining high levels of child poverty is therefore an injustice and, moreover, a question of collective intelligence.
The relationship between household income and lack of education
THE Living Conditions Survey (ECV) from the INE, a study that analyzes the intergenerational transmission of poverty, also indicates that only 9% of adults from households experiencing serious or very serious economic difficulties when they were children and adolescents had high incomes in 2023. That is to say that Only one in ten young people from vulnerable families manage to escape social exclusion in adulthood.. We can therefore say that poverty is inherited and is transmitted from generation to generation.
The same report highlights that the family backgrounds in which these young people and children grew up influence their adult lives, to which must be added the low compulsory education level or higher. 19% had basic education and 23% had higher education in 2023.
Spain is experiencing a moment of great social vulnerability, which requires a change of model. a new social pact that reduces social and economic gapsincreasing access to classrooms in recent decades, increase their level of education and reduce educational inequalitiesThe truth is that the lack of schooling among socially excluded groups and school dropout remain in our country two problems that have not been eradicated and that are closely linked to lack of economic resources.
According to the latest calculations by the Consumers and Users Organization (OCU), the expenditure for back to school This can represent more than 500 euros on average per student.
In this context, the work of entities engaged in society and its transformation is essential, as “La Caixa” Foundationwho has implemented powerful programs such as CaixaProinfancia, scholarships and EduCaixaall intended for transform society and support children and families in social and economic difficulty so that they can escape any situation of vulnerability.
First, and taking into account that students are starting the school year, the entity helps families reduce school expenses for families in vulnerable situations, by offering them an additional year of studies. educational material kits for all school-age children and adolescents (ages 3 to 18) which are part of CaixaProinfancia.
Child poverty ‘almost invisible’
Xavier Torrens, director of the Espiral entity and participant of Thoroughlyof the “la Caixa” Foundation, stresses that child poverty is “almost invisible, which is why it is difficult to explain what we mean by child poverty; we see them playing, in the park, etc. What we detect is that they have fewer opportunities than others. and that they can only do extracurricular activities related to educational reinforcement, that they cannot afford to go on study trips, play sports, etc. It’s complicated, the income is fair. “These are warning signs, so we all need to pay attention to them.”
According to Torrens, ending the cycle of child poverty is not just a matter of one element or one solution, and even less so in the short term. He argues that “The better the economic performance of the child we work with, the more opportunities he or she will have to obtain a better-paid job.“.
Education, a lever for future opportunities
From CaixaProInfancia – Child povertyThey also work to break this cycle of poverty by developing projects aimed at providing a better life for children and adolescents living in disadvantaged environments. Initiatives of social and educational action which promote, among other things, the social integration of children and their familiesto promote social and educational development and contribute to raising awareness in society of the need to eradicate this social problem.
From “La Caixa” Foundation They promote the development of the youngest, the most vulnerable in society, through educational and school reinforcement, summer camps –when many parents work and cannot take care of them or take them to other spaces–, educational workshops for the whole family, as well as training in infant nutrition and hygieneglasses, hearing aids and psychological support.
Torrens draws attention to some of the latter aspects of his speech.Spain is the EU country with an alarming level of poverty and, in addition, with a level of childhood obesity that is also very worrying. Do they have a proper diet? Can you eat protein twice a week? What snacks do you bring? In this we also work with children and families.“, he emphasizes.
The “la Caixa” Foundation, through its programs, takes care of more than 62,000 children per yearand this thanks to the coordination work with more than 400 social entities throughout the country, spread throughout the country. 129 municipalities in Spain and Portugal.
EduCaixa is a program focused on improving education, through the promotion of equal opportunities for all. They therefore launch the EduCaixa Callan initiative that aims to support educational centers in the design, implementation and evaluation of educational transformation projects in which Any educational center can participate throughout Spain where early childhood, primary school, ESO, baccalaureate or basic and intermediate education FP are taught.
This EduCaixa Call offers financial support of 5,000 euros to 100 educational centers in Spain develop projects that effectively promote the well-being and learning of all its students.
The EduCaixa call was launched in 2023, a year in which the “la Caixa” Foundation has already selected 60 Spanish centers develop educational transformation projects, which have been implemented there in order to promote learning and pedagogical improvement, and to generate tangible changes.
Scholarship program, a great impact on students
He access to training for all people on an equal footing is a fundamental ingredient in the fight against child povertyis one of the fundamental levers that can put an end to this poverty inherited from parents and children.
And that’s it Scholarships have a significant impact on students, because, in addition to helping them in their educational journey, it is also a way to discourage them from dropping out of school so as not to be able to pay them.
In this sense, underlines the Undergraduate Scholarship Program, which offers students a complete support program which is composed of different points. One of them is the financial endowmentsIn this specific case, undergraduate students are offered a salary grant of 600 euros per month During all months of courses, a single initial grant of the same amount for the purchase of computer equipment and the payment of tuition fees at public universities where students have been admitted.
Another point to highlight is that the scholarship benefits from additional support so that scholarship recipients have the opportunity to do an international stay. For this purpose, the entity provides a monthly provision of 400 euros extra and a one-off allowance of an additional 400 euros for travel and installation costs. It also includes English course during all years of the degree and an official accreditation examination.
The La Caixa Foundation Scholarship Program also includes two programs aimed at providing scholarship recipients with the tools they need to maximize their academic results and improve their skills and abilities for the future. One of them is academic orientation personalized with support from an advisor; and another program training in transversal skillsaccording to the needs of the scholarship holder.
Connected and sharing
As additional activitiesThe scholarship program of this entity allows students to be part of the group of scholarship holders of the “la Caixa” Foundationa network of academic and professional talents recognized worldwide and a way to connect with other people sharing the same interests, creating an ecosystem of exchange and enrichment, both professional and personal.
The members of this group are a community of thousands of people who live all over the world and are linked to the scholarships of the “la Caixa” Foundation, a network that brings together training, professions and interests of all kinds, which makes it an international, rich and very diversified groupwhich also contribute to building a better future for all, one of the essential values of the Spanish entity.
