The back-to-school season is an exciting time for most families across Europe. Parents and children in Hungary are no exception. But for those struggling to make ends meet, the rising cost of school supplies is weighing on their minds.

Shopping for his children's return to education has been challenging for Janos Varady. The father-of-five has searched for deals and spread his shopping across multiple paychecks but says that buying the supplies his children need has been harder than ever.

"I'm the sole provider for my family; my wife can't work. So buying everything they need is increasingly difficult," Varady told CGTN.

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Varady isn't alone. Charities say thousands of Hungarian families rely on donations from community organizations to help them return their children to school in September.

"Many families cannot afford to buy all the items their children need when school starts this year, so we provide them with backpacks, pens and pencils, notebooks, and everything else they need," said Tímea Szomolányi, President of the Tündérpakk organization.

Hungary is grappling with an inflation rate of 17.6 percent, the highest within the EU. Prime Minister Viktor Orban says his government is working to try and reduce inflation to single digits by the end of the year.

‌The prices of back-to-school products in Hungary have jumped by 20 percent from last year. For many families the price hike makes buying the school supplies their children need difficult.

Varady says he is shocked by the higher price tags he sees in stores on everything. "Some prices have doubled or even tripled. It's a nightmare," he lamented.

‌Charities say this time of year is one of their busiest. But they're struggling to be able to offer the necessary help.

"This year, we received fewer cash donations, which makes it very hard for us to keep helping needy families. Those donations help pay for storage space and fuel so we can deliver donations to those in need," said Szomolányi

‌Varady says without the help of charities this year, filling up his children's backpacks with the items they need would be impossible.

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