Sponsor a Child in Bangalore - SOS Children's Village Bangalore

Poverty continues to exist in the "Silicon Valley of India"

Bangalore is located in the south-east of India, in the state of Karnataka. With 8.5 million inhabitants, it is the third most populous city in India. It is a cultural, educational and economic centre in the region. Although a lot of economic growth has been attributed to the IT sector, the development of industry has also played an important role.

Over the past decades the city has been growing at alarming rates. People from nearby rural areas, as well as from neighbouring states, have come to Bangalore in search of a better life. Unfortunately, this dream is often not fulfilled. The rate of urban poverty is high. The increasing population has put a lot of pressure on the local infrastructure, which has not been developed to keep up with the growing demand. This lack of infrastructure and services affects all those living in poverty in Bangalore. These vulnerable families face many disadvantages regarding the competition for land, infrastructure and services. There are a growing number of slums and more and more people living in them - some families have been living in slums for two, or even three generations. People living here have inadequate access to sanitation facilities and clean water as well as to services including health and education. Diseases such as scabies, diarrhoea, cholera, typhoid and eye infections are common.

Families living in poverty struggle to meet their basic needs. Children often do not go to school, but do odd jobs or beg and sell goods on the streets. Some families manage to send their children to school but are extremely vulnerable to any change in circumstances; if a family member falls ill, has an accident or dies, the family plummets into abject poverty. Female-headed households are amongst the most vulnerable. Many children living in such conditions are at risk of losing parental care.