Recently, Aflatoun and it’s asociated organization Child Fund Brazil, visited a region in the country. In this zone child labor continues to be a fact and the Aflatoun program is being implemented. Aflatoun is used here alongside other methodologies to try to prevent and erradicate child labor. Aflatoun and its associate partner organization is carrying out a reference survey in order to determine if there is an impact. During the visits to our partner Edson Marinho has gathered some ideas and reflects his thoughts in the following text:

A mother of 7 children is part of the prevention of child labor project. She is a widow, has a disability in one of her arms, and must support her children solely with the family stipend.

When asked about the day to day of her 9 year old son, who participates in the project, she explained that her son goes to school, program meetings, and in his spare time “helps” in the garden the family has in the back yard.

Her home, without the help of her sons, would be impossible to tend. A vegetable patch was established in the garden where most of what is grown is consumed by the family, but a part is bartered with neighbors for other products or small amounts of money to pay the water bill.

The money from the family stipend and the pension goes entirely to food for the kids. “There’s nothing left to pay for water. It’s a struggle of every month to find the money to pay the bill” she confessed. But added with a big smile: “Everything will be fine, surely everything will start improving”

The water bill is only 7 brazilian reals.

Adaptação e tradução de texto original, do autor deste blog, por Almudena Corral
Aflatoun – Child Social & Financial Education