Michael Zajakowski This photo essay shows an underreported consequence of European migration and its impact on children. The story makes you wonder about the fate of these children and how they will process their abandonment as adults. The photographs show the children (and grandparents) trying to make the best of the situation, but there is an undeniable sadness in their faces.
As the European Union grows eastward, many children in Eastern Europe are left behind in their home countries while their parents go to Western Europe for better economic opportunities. These children are often cared for by grandparents or relatives, but they struggle with feelings of abandonment and insecurity. The distance from their parents strains family ties and leaves them longing for closeness, showing a difficult side of economic migration that isn't often discussed.
