South America remains one of the most visited locations on the globe thanks to its fair weather and appealing cuisine, alongside dozens of natural landmarks and historical attractions. Home to 425 million people, the continent’s blooming economic growth has taken many by surprise; many of the local economies are some of the fastest developing in the world. 

The countries that make up South America contribute critical products to the international scene, from Venezuelan oil to Brazilian beef and soy. Chile and Argentina are known for their wine, Colombia for its coffee, Chile and Peru for their copper, and Bolivia for natural gas. However, despite their presence on the global economic stage, many of these countries struggle with unemployment and poverty. Venezuela, the rural areas of Brazil, Ecuador, Guyana, Suriname, and Bolivia are facing the greatest challenges.

Venezuela 

The overall poorest country in South America, Venezuela’s per capita GDP is only $3,374. Upwards of 94% of the population of Venezuela live in poverty, with most people earning between 72 cents and $1.90 per day. Rampant inflation has devalued the local currency, the bolivar, to essentially worthless, and Venezuelans have been leaving the country in increasing numbers to seek a home somewhere outside of the poverty within the country.

Brazil 

Brazil fares better than Venezuela, but not by much. Thousands in the former capital, Rio de Janeiro, are fed not by their own country, but by supportive non-governmental organizations. More than 13 million Brazilians live in extreme poverty, going an average of two to three days between meals. This despite the country being a top global food exporter. As of 2020, 38 million workers have been forced into unemployment, and of those still earning income, nearly 20% live on less than $5.50 per day. Below that, 11% make ends meet on $3.20 per day or less. Brazil’s population of 210 million accounts for half of the entirety of South America, indicating just how many on this continent struggle with the issues of poverty.

Ecuador 

Ecuador exceeds most South American countries in per capita GDP, managing a comparatively impressive $6,315. While it is still considered a developing country, it is also viewed as having an upper middle income economy, even though 10% of its population live on less than $3.20 per day. 

Unemployment remains high in Ecuador, and increasing development in the country does not appear to promise any significant changes to the poverty its residents are experiencing. 

Guyana 

The country of Guyana exists alongside Venezuela as a particularly impoverished location, with half of all children living with needy families and a per capita GDP of only $4,689. Thirty-five percent of all people in Guyana live below the poverty line, living on just $1.75 per day or less. One of the primary drivers of this low quality of life is lack of access to modern services. Rural areas are cut off from healthcare and educational facilities, further disenfranchising anyone unfortunate enough to be out of reach of these resources. 

However, even those living in urban areas struggle, with most living in cobbled together shacks. An acute shortage of skilled workers, significant debt, and low-quality infrastructure have locked Guyana into a vicious cycle of poverty that is difficult to escape from.

Suriname 

The continent’s smallest country, Suriname faces severe poverty problems. Nearly half of the country must make do with $5.50 per day or less, and of those, 20% see only $1.90 per day at most. The country is bursting with natural resources, but due to the inability to pay the expenses required to cultivate them, they remain mostly untouched. The poverty rate hovers at approximately 50%. 

Bolivia 

Besides Venezuela, Bolivia may be the country that struggles the most in South America. The majority (60%) of its children are anemic, and nearly 30% are stunted due to inadequate access to nutritious food. Nearly 63% of all households regularly skip meals, and of the entire population (both children and adults), 16% are generally malnourished. 

One of the main contributors to this issue is that most Bolivians (75%) live in rural areas where their only access to food is what they can grow themselves. In lean seasons or as a result of natural disasters—which are not uncommon in the area—many folks simply do not eat because they have nothing. Food insecurity is the biggest problem in the country, but some improvement has been made. The poverty level has dropped from 59% of the population to 39%. Still, the country’s location and its people’s inability to access food leave it vulnerable to high levels of poverty and malnourished children who grow to be adults too ill or underdeveloped to work in urban areas. 

These countries can all benefit from charity assistance. That is why it is critical that kindhearted donors continue to support global efforts to improve living conditions for the folks in these underserved locations, since they are unable to effect change themselves.