There is an ongoing rising issue with poverty in Guyana. Almost half (47.5 percent) of all children under the age of 16 live in families that are in poverty. This is not only an economic but a social tragedy. The economic loss connected with almost half of all children living in poverty is important and weighs heavily on the short- and long-term economic success of the Guyana economy. Research finds that children in poverty have poor mental and physical health and are  less likely to perform well in school, acquire a good formal education, find and keep good-paying jobs and contribute to the economy.