Globally, there are an estimated 140 million children who have lost one or both parents.
Often, it is the father – the breadwinner in many communities – that has passed away, leaving the family struggling to afford basic necessities, such as food and shelter.
Without sufficient support or financial stability, many orphaned children drop out of school to find low-paid, unstable, and manual work. In some cases, they are abused or manipulated into committing crimes.