In places like Nigeria where millions of human beings live on less than one dollar per day, many teenagers are [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][sadly] caught in the web of abject poverty. They are unable to help themselves, subjected to the undesirable conditions of life no one would ever desire- denial, want and shame. While many of such teens and their parents are most concerned about basic necessities of life such as food, little or no attention is given to the other negative effects of poverty even these other negative effects seriously affects the well-being and development of such teens. Below are some of the negative effects of poverty on teens.
POVERTY AFFECTS MENTAL HEALTH
It is difficult for teenagers to know that other teens like them live in beautiful and comfortable homes, eat the healthiest meals, wear the most beautiful clothes and attend the most prestigious private schools whereas [they] on the other hand live in shanties, cold at night and hopeless. Sometimes, they get disgraced by their mates who are richer than them. All of these, the shame and disgrace coupled with the constant want can cause teens from impoverished background to become depressed. They may also suffer self esteem issues and other complicated mental health challenges. I know some of these health conditions are hardly given any attention in Nigeria. But they are real nonetheless; caused by issues such as poverty.
POVERTY AFFECTS TEENS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
This one is so self- explanatory. When teenagers’ parents are poor, such parents can hardly be able to send such teens to good schools much less provide all the necessary learning materials such as textbooks. Often time, such teenagers would have to miss school so that they may work to assist the family. On top of it all, they do not have comfortable study environments. And all of these ultimately impacts negatively on their academic pursuits. Some of them are even so unlucky such that they are unable to go to school at all due to poverty. Indeed, poverty is the major cause of illiteracy and therefore to end illiteracy, we must first end poverty.
POVERTY OFTEN CAUSES TEENS TO BECOME DELIQUENT
Most teens from impoverished homes are delinquent. This is mainly due to the fact their parents hardly have time for them much less give them the necessary attention and monitoring they need to live right. So they turn to rascally behaviour as a way of getting off the stress and frustration they have packed up inside of them.
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