Lithuania is a small Northern European nation and home to nearly 3 million people. They became the first nation to declare independence in 1990 following the start of the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
Economic development has been swift but unequal, leaving many families struggling to afford the high cost of living. Lithuanians battle skyrocketing prices and deal with recent issues of homelessness and domestic violence. These circumstances, coupled with widespread alcohol and drug abuse, have resulted in the fracturing of the Lithuanian family, leaving many children vulnerable and neglected.