Venezuela crisis: Mothers giving away babies, children living on streets

BBC News

In this video from BBC News, Vladimir Hernandez visits the capital city of Caracas in Venezuela to investigate the situation of mothers and children who have been impacted by Venezuela's humanitarian crisis. The video shares the stories of young people living on the street, who have been "kicked out" of their homes because their parents simply cannot afford to care for them in the home. It also tells the stories of mothers and children living together on the street, begging and searching rubbish bins to feed themselves.

According to the video, Venezuela hs seen a sharp increase of children living on the street in the past year or so. Women who are pregnant, says the video, have also been put in very difficult positions as nearly everything, including food and contraceptives, is in short supply in Venezuela and many feel they cannot care for the babies once they are born, or the children they already have. Maria, a woman who is 6 months pregnant, plans to give up her child for adoption and has given three of her five children to other families who she felt could better look after them.

I told my children that I didn't want to give them away, but I just can't support them. But one day I'll try to get them back.