How Poverty Affects a Child’s Mental Health – And How St Irene is Changing That Story

Imagine being a child with an empty stomach, living in a cold, crumbling home, not knowing when your next meal will come or if it ever will. Imagine waking up each day in a world where even the most basic things, “food, warmth, love,” are a luxury.
This is the reality for many children born into poverty. And the impact goes far beyond what we see with our naked eyes.

Poverty doesn’t just hurt the body. It wounds the mind

When a child lives in constant uncertainty, their mental health suffers. Hunger causes anxiety. Cold nights bring fear. Being excluded from school activities or playtime with friends can lead to feelings of shame, low self-worth, and isolation.

These children carry the weight of the world on their small shoulders often in silence. And for orphans, the situation can be even more heartbreaking. Without the warmth of a stable home or the care of loving guardians, they are left to navigate a harsh world alone.

But hope is not lost.

We are rewriting their story

At St Irene, we believe every child deserves more than just survival. They deserve joy. They deserve belonging. They deserve a childhood.
Here, children who were once abandoned by society find a new kind of family. We don’t just provide meals, we nourish hearts. We don’t just offer shelter, we build a home. From daily meals and clean clothing to school supplies and emotional support, St Irene gives children the chance to feel safe, seen, and celebrated.

Through learning, sports, art, and play, we help them rediscover the innocence and excitement of being a child. We create a space where laughter is louder than fear. Where every child is known by name and loved deeply.

One smile at a time, one warm meal at a time, one encouraging word at a time we are helping children heal.

Poverty may have shaped their past, but at St Irene, it will not define their future.