Lemio Taban, 15 years old and seated under a makeshift shelter with a heap of stones and a heavy harmer in his hand, is one of such boys raising school fees by crushing a tone of stones. Gazing at the Mountain unendlessly, he seems to think of his age group has almost all the necessities to keep them in school.
The young boy, whose right eye is damaged, says it is a result of the health hazards associated with stone crushing. “The dust and tiny small particles sometimes land into my eyes”, he said. Yet still he doesn’t mind, but rather is focused on having a diversified brilliant future - just like any other child with both parents. “I intend to become a Medical Doctor”, he disclosed.
Stone crushing in South Sudan is seen as a business readily offering employment for the masses. Lemio had no alternative but to join the hard and heavy work for sustenance. “I would have done some lighter work if it was available, but I have no alternative,” he said.
South Sudan is a booming market for construction companies. The devastations of the war brought buildings down, and yet South Sudan’s infrastructure must match with the rest of the world. This makes it easy for the stone crushers to find employment.
Sarah, a woman in her fifties who also happens to be earning a living from the stone crushing business, reveals that her savings are 500 Sudanese Pounds - an equivalent of $150. She avoids bringing her own children to help her crush the stones. “This work is too heavy for under aged children, I cannot risk my children’s health”, said Sarah while seated near a heap of stones, although she admits employing other children in her section.
Lemio happens to be also employed by one such woman, and is paid one pound for each 20 litres cut - less than 50 cents. On a full working day, he goes home with at least ten pounds. His life is dictated by the target of having a future and also sustaining his two siblings.
The Government of the Republic of South Sudan (RSS) has a moral obligation to protect children against any form of hard labour. Regina Ossa Lullo, the Director General for Gender and Child Welfare in the RSS Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare, says the government is working hard to ensure that child labour legislations are followed.
The memorandum of understanding signed between South Sudan and the International Labour Organization talks about the worst forms of labour to avoid. The age limit under which a child cannot work is fourteen, and the working hours per day of an eligible child is four rather than the eight working hours of an adult.
Lemio is now only one year beyond the age limit restricted for a working child, yet he started at a tender age of twelve. He would work from morning to evening on a non-school day, while on school days he works in the afternoons, but still has to compete with the rest of his peers in exams.
The Chairperson of South Sudan Human Rights Commission Lawrence Korband says the bill of rights provides protection for children against illegal forms of labour. “If these kids are employed by companies doing business, this way we talk about hard labour. But kids in African society constitute a package of productive unity. They cater for themselves”, he said while explaining the difference between hard labour generated by companies and self employment.
According to Korbandy, most of the kids in the stone crushing business are doing this with their families. “Since the majority of our people are rural people, when they come to town they use the same method as a learning process.” He says, however, if the parents continue using them, this is where the state comes in with laws that protect the child. Laws state education is a right, not a privilege. The role of the commission is to ensure that the constitution is adhered to by all forms of government.
However, Regina reports that the government is advocating for children to be in school. “We are working to see to it that child labour is reduced, although it cannot be completely eradicated. It is not easy unless the parents are made to understand that a child should go to school. It will take time because change cannot take place over time."
The Deputy Headmaster of United Believers Modern School, Oda James Nelson is grieved that education has not been taken into account. “Sensitization is needed in the country so that children are aware of the importance of school”, he commented. Most of the children in this school lost their fathers; some are children of single mothers. Therefore most of the pupils struggle to raise school fees by doing petty jobs in market places.
The Ministry of Gender, Social and Child welfare has trained over 100 social workers who are expected to go to their counties and handle issues related to child welfare. Some of the children without parental care have migrated from rural areas to urban centers.
Regina explains the existence of child protection working groups in the state who are also established at country level so that when there is an issue of tracing the child’s relatives, its handled by the protection working group, which acts like an arm of the state.
The main mandate of the government institution is to formulate policies while the state implements. “We have got a program set to reduce child labour and remove them from the streets”, said Regina. “As the government, we allocate a special budget for construction of dropping centers, so that the children on the street are attracted to the center and reunited to communities with their relatives and parents. Some are on the street due to economic problem or mistreatment of children.
Yobu Annet is a journalist based in South Sudan. She was recently awarded an Edward R. Murrow Fellowship.
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Crushing or Crossing Mountain Jebel Kujur
December 9, 2011
Lemio Taban, 15 years old and seated under a makeshift shelter with a heap of stones and a heavy harmer in his hand, is one of such boys raising school fees by crushing a tone of stones. Gazing at the Mountain unendlessly, he seems to think of his age group has almost all the necessities to keep them in school.
The young boy, whose right eye is damaged, says it is a result of the health hazards associated with stone crushing. “The dust and tiny small particles sometimes land into my eyes”, he said. Yet still he doesn’t mind, but rather is focused on having a diversified brilliant future - just like any other child with both parents. “I intend to become a Medical Doctor”, he disclosed.
Stone crushing in South Sudan is seen as a business readily offering employment for the masses. Lemio had no alternative but to join the hard and heavy work for sustenance. “I would have done some lighter work if it was available, but I have no alternative,” he said.
South Sudan is a booming market for construction companies. The devastations of the war brought buildings down, and yet South Sudan’s infrastructure must match with the rest of the world. This makes it easy for the stone crushers to find employment.
Sarah, a woman in her fifties who also happens to be earning a living from the stone crushing business, reveals that her savings are 500 Sudanese Pounds - an equivalent of $150. She avoids bringing her own children to help her crush the stones. “This work is too heavy for under aged children, I cannot risk my children’s health”, said Sarah while seated near a heap of stones, although she admits employing other children in her section.
Lemio happens to be also employed by one such woman, and is paid one pound for each 20 litres cut - less than 50 cents. On a full working day, he goes home with at least ten pounds. His life is dictated by the target of having a future and also sustaining his two siblings.
The Government of the Republic of South Sudan (RSS) has a moral obligation to protect children against any form of hard labour. Regina Ossa Lullo, the Director General for Gender and Child Welfare in the RSS Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare, says the government is working hard to ensure that child labour legislations are followed.
The memorandum of understanding signed between South Sudan and the International Labour Organization talks about the worst forms of labour to avoid. The age limit under which a child cannot work is fourteen, and the working hours per day of an eligible child is four rather than the eight working hours of an adult.
Lemio is now only one year beyond the age limit restricted for a working child, yet he started at a tender age of twelve. He would work from morning to evening on a non-school day, while on school days he works in the afternoons, but still has to compete with the rest of his peers in exams.
The Chairperson of South Sudan Human Rights Commission Lawrence Korband says the bill of rights provides protection for children against illegal forms of labour. “If these kids are employed by companies doing business, this way we talk about hard labour. But kids in African society constitute a package of productive unity. They cater for themselves”, he said while explaining the difference between hard labour generated by companies and self employment.
According to Korbandy, most of the kids in the stone crushing business are doing this with their families. “Since the majority of our people are rural people, when they come to town they use the same method as a learning process.” He says, however, if the parents continue using them, this is where the state comes in with laws that protect the child. Laws state education is a right, not a privilege. The role of the commission is to ensure that the constitution is adhered to by all forms of government.
However, Regina reports that the government is advocating for children to be in school. “We are working to see to it that child labour is reduced, although it cannot be completely eradicated. It is not easy unless the parents are made to understand that a child should go to school. It will take time because change cannot take place over time."
The Deputy Headmaster of United Believers Modern School, Oda James Nelson is grieved that education has not been taken into account. “Sensitization is needed in the country so that children are aware of the importance of school”, he commented. Most of the children in this school lost their fathers; some are children of single mothers. Therefore most of the pupils struggle to raise school fees by doing petty jobs in market places.
The Ministry of Gender, Social and Child welfare has trained over 100 social workers who are expected to go to their counties and handle issues related to child welfare. Some of the children without parental care have migrated from rural areas to urban centers.
Regina explains the existence of child protection working groups in the state who are also established at country level so that when there is an issue of tracing the child’s relatives, its handled by the protection working group, which acts like an arm of the state.
The main mandate of the government institution is to formulate policies while the state implements. “We have got a program set to reduce child labour and remove them from the streets”, said Regina. “As the government, we allocate a special budget for construction of dropping centers, so that the children on the street are attracted to the center and reunited to communities with their relatives and parents. Some are on the street due to economic problem or mistreatment of children.
Yobu Annet is a journalist based in South Sudan. She was recently awarded an Edward R. Murrow Fellowship.
