You would think that at the age of 10 you'd be playing around with friends and completing schoolwork. Today at my orphanage I saw the boys- aged 8 to 14- carrying massive blocks of concrete on their heads as their charming matron chewed some gum and got the younger ones to push him around on his chair. Getting him to let us teach the boys some english and play a few games with them takes so much effort. How can children be deprived of an opportunity to perhaps get somewhere in life just because they were unlucky enough to be orphans? They believe that they won't be able to do anything beyond the most rudimentary jobs. I could barely lift one of those blocks up with my hands.
Imaginaras que a los diez años un niño estaria jugando con los amigos y haciendo deberes. Hoy he visto a los chicos del orfanato llevando unos bloques de cemento sobre sus cabezas de una punta a la otra mientras su guardian gritaba ordenes y mascaba chicle desde su silla. La semana pasada apenas nos dejo dar la clase de ingles con ellos; las tres horas que se supone que deberiamos de tenerles fueron reducidas a una y media. Y yo me pregunt: como es possible que se les prive de una educacion y se les haga creer que no valen mas que para hacer los trabajos mas rudimentarios simplemente porque llegaron a este mundo en condiciones desfavorecidas?? Apenas podia levantar yo uno de esos bloques. Los chavales no tienen mas de 14 años.
Violeta, when I was around 9 years old I started working with my grandmother helping her in her tiny biscuits stall that she had. I worked intermitently until I was around 14, when my gandma's sister who lived with her died, the stall was shut and grandma came to live the last years of her life with us. I didn't have to carry heavy weights (although the biscuit's baskets were almost as big as me!), but I used to get up very early every morning. After early work, I went to school, and then retun home to help again with the work. In the evening I had to do my homework, so the days were easily filled up for me, but I was happy.
ReplyDeleteThe point I want to make is that sometimes what we see with our eyes as utter exploitation is not perceived in teh same way by people, and frequently there are no better alternative opportunities readily available.
So, i agree with your concern, but I think these children maybe experiencing it with different eyes than yours.
Besos,
Manuel