Impact of Poverty on Children’s Education: Insights from Mothers of Baloch Ward, Gwadar

Abstract

This study explores how poverty affects educational access in Baloch Ward, Gwadar, through the voices of twelve low-income Baloch mothers. Findings reveal that financial constraints, hidden school costs, child labor, and inadequate infrastructure significantly hinder children’s—especially girls’—education. Despite valuing education, families face “tied hands,” unable to realize aspirations due to economic hardship. The study calls for targeted interventions, including free learning materials, school feeding programs, fee waivers, and community awareness initiatives. By centering women’s perspectives, it advocates for localized, gender-sensitive policies to address educational exclusion in marginalized areas and break the intergenerational cycle of poverty.