While Sweden recently reported its highest GDP increase ever, currently over 340,000 children in Sweden live in poverty. Child poverty in Sweden has increased by almost 50 percent since 2006, according to an article in Aftonbladet yesterday.
With Christmas approaching, the charity organisation Majblommans Riksforbund receives many requests from people who do not have the luxury of choosing between the latest technical gadgets for Christmas but rather need money for rent, food and winter clothing for their children.
Majblommans, Sweden’s largest help organisation for children, has been noticing an increase of help requests from children and parents during the Christmas period over the last couple of years.
In 2009, Majblommans received 20 percent more applications for help than the year before. Families contacting Majblommans around Christmas are most often asking for help to buy a Christmas tree, warm clothing or food for Christmas dinner; the most basic things needed for a worthy Christmas according to Majblommans’ Secretary General Lena Holm. Holm also commented that most people probably do not want to face the fact that poverty is a reality for many people in Sweden today.
One mother who contacted Majblommans wrote, “I am so ashamed for not being able to provide new clothing for my children and other things that their friends have. It would mean so much to be able to celebrate a decent Christmas.”
Anyone who wishes to donate to Majblommans Riksforbund can do so here: http://www.majblomman.se/Om-Majblomman/Stod-Majblomman/For-privatpersoner/
[…] caso contrario non esistirebbe la poverta' nei paesi Scandinavi, eppure, pure li c'e'. Esempio: Increasing number of children in Sweden live in poverty | IceNews – Daily News "Child poverty in Sweden has increased by almost 50 percent since 2006, according to an […]