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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
 Posted - 14 Jun 2006 : 08:24:31
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In the Gambia I have often seen children on the streets selling things. This is the visible side of child labour.
Can anyone tell me if there is a hidden side to child labour in Gambia? Do children work in unsafe environments such as factories etc?
Can anyone tell me what % of the whole Gambian children population doesnt go to school?
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jambo
3300 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jun 2006 : 12:29:28
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hidden side, no school, exposure to wrong side of life, can be exploited, i am thinking of the children who a few years ago used to sell peanuts inthe senegambia tourist area. It was a setup some belong to poor families who had an "uncle" who helped them buy the peanuts at the local markets, and then took the money at the end of the day and gave them a percentage of the sale.
Exposure to soldiers not protecting them if they got robbed off money. Thinking that toubabs = money, not being in school. Not having a sense of worth. A few of the children used to sell on the beach and got into fights with bigger children. The younger children did not know any different but some of the older children at 10/11 years knew what they wanted and for most it was to go to school, but they were aware that the money the made but rice and fish for the family. Not sure about factories.
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njucks
Gambia
1131 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jun 2006 : 12:53:06
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i dont think there is hidden side of child labour as you would find in other countries partly because we lack inductries in the first place. but the visible side is children selly cashew/groundnuts at the beach or polishing shoes. i dont think its present in the manufacturing sector as this is too small and not very developed as in India for example.
on the good side a decade or so ago it was very common to see 'Almodis'. these are children forced to beg at petrol stations/junctions or homes for food and money by their islamic scholars as part of their schooling. the problem is solved in the gambia but its still very common in Senegal/Dakar and a lot of countries nearby. |
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jambo
3300 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jun 2006 : 13:07:58
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| njucks, i remember that but never knew what it was, but has it stopped in gambia. |
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serenata
Germany
1400 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jun 2006 : 15:24:20
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| I think there is still exploitation in the home/housework sector, and this is a 'hidden' sector. No question children should help in the house, here as well as in Gambia. But I saw many girls who didn't get the chance to go to school because they worked as maids for a relative. This is something that should be questioned. |
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njucks
Gambia
1131 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jun 2006 : 15:26:59
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i dont exactly know why it disappeared but i think it had something to do with a strong line from the government.
Almodis were kids running around begging and you can always remember them with the characteristic red empty tomato tin/cans. one method to study islamic knowledge was to send your child to a marabout=islamic scholar.
these kids would stay with him for years memorising and learing the scriptures. but obviously to pay for their upkeep or feeding he would make them to into town begging as it can be expansive living in an urban area with 50 kids to feed everyday!!
i can say it has more or less stopped atleast in Banjul but i would be wrong to say its not happening in a different form. so long as parents keep sending their kids to these marabouts it will continue.
if you go to Dakar or Bamako dont go to a fuel station your car would be invaded by thousands of theses kids.it not a problem in gambia now but in rural areas Soma etc you find kids selling waters etc just like in the beach in Kombo
another form of child labour is as Serenata mentioned women who have just delivered babies tend to prefer hiring younger maids for their new offsprings sometimes pre-teens.you see this both in the local and expat communities.
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Edited by - njucks on 14 Jun 2006 15:31:42 |
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