Widespread poverty, poor infrastructure, and discrimination against indigenous people have made life in Guatemala particularly difficult for children. Labeled by UNICEF as one of the worst places to be a child, Guatemala has been destabilized by decades of civil war. Hundreds of thousands of children are orphaned due to violence, disease, and substance abuse.
Vulnerable children are much more likely to become victims of trafficking and child exploitation. This further fuels poverty, as many young girls become teenage mothers who cannot provide for themselves and their children. Non-governmental organizations and religious institutions have set up orphanages across the country that provide wraparound care to children and address the roots of child poverty, including a lack of education and health care.