Child Work as Viewed by

Children Themselves: Positive

and Negative Features

Seleshi Zeleke

Addis Ababa University

Presented at an East African Regional Symposium on Child Work/Child Labour, 20-21 March 2014

1

Background

The study investigated the positive and

negative aspects of weaving among nine

children who came to Addis Ababa from

Gamo Gofa Zone.

The children came to Addis to learn

weaving through informal

apprenticeship.

The ‘employer’ is often from the same

ethnic group and region as the children. 2

Background (continued)

Weaving is often considered worst form

of child work or labor.

Besides, the children’s movement from

their rural villages to cities is often linked

to child trafficking.

Given these assumptions, it would be

interesting to examine (1) how the

children perceive weaving and whether

they associate any benefits to weaving,

and (2) how they decided to come to

Addis and with whom? 3

Method

In-depth interviews

Nine children aged 13-15

I and a research assistant, a graduate

student, who speaks the children’s

language, interviewed the children.

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Focus

What were the motivating factors to

come to Addis?

Who made the decision?

How did they come to Addis? On their

own or with somebody else?

Were there any promises? If so, were

these honored?

Working conditions in Addis

Benefits and harmful aspects of weaving

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Rural Districts of Gamo Gofa

The children came from two neighbouring districts (Chencha and Dita).

The districts are densely populated.

Family size is estimated, on average, to be 5-10.

Subsistence farming; each family owns a small area of farmland.

The harvest from the farmland cannot feed the family.

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When they were in Gamo

Eight of the children were not going to school.

Looking after the small number of oxen and cows the family has (5 children)

Working on the farmland (1 child)

Weaving (1 child)

Looking after oxen and cows and

working on the farmland (2 children)

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The Motivation to Come to Addis

The children decided to come to Addis

believing that they would accomplish the

following in addition to weaving.

attend school,

earn money,

improve their life, and

support their parents.

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Motivation

One child, for example, stated,

I was motivated to come to Addis Ababa

looking at others who had moved to Addis

Ababa and who came back to visit their

families wearing very attractive clothes

and shoes as well as having tape

recorders. At the time, I decided to move

to Addis Ababa too, work hard and

change my self just like the others I

observed. (Child 1, Age 14)

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Who Made the Decision?

Parents (2 children)

One of them (aged 15) said,

My father told me that he is old and

weak and that I should go to Addis

Ababa to work, earn and send money to

the family. He later sent me to Addis.

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Who Made the Decision?

The children themselves (7 out of 9)

decided to come to Addis even though

the parents did not support.

Two of the seven children came to Addis

without the knowledge of their parents.

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How did the children come to Addis?

All nine children came to Addis with their

‘employers’.

However, their sources of information

about life in Addis were different.

Parents – Two children

‘Employer’ – Two children

Their own observation – Five children 12

Workload

Six children judged weaving as a tiring work.

In particular, whenever their employers have orders to be delivered within a short period of time, they work day and night and this makes weaving demanding.

The children also indicated that the complexity of the design determines the difficulty of the work or how long it would take them to complete.

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Workload

But three children (aged 13, 13 and 15) evaluated the workload favorably.

One child stated,

I used to work hard when I was in Dita, looking after the oxen and cows and working on the farm. Weaving is not more demanding than the work I used to do back home. (Child 2, Age 13)

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Workload

Another child said,

Though the work is difficult, I am

determined to develop my weaving skills

very well so as to change my life. I obey

my employer’s instructions without

question and carry out the tasks. I don’t

see the difficulty of the work because of

my motivation. (Child 5, Age 15)

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Workload

A child (aged 15) said,

The workload is heavy for me though I

started weaving when I was with my

parents. I have to weave for a long time

without rest and I cannot choose when to

weave and when to take rest.

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Remuneration

The weekly remuneration ranges from

10 to 25 Ethiopian Birr (ETB).

In most cases, the employer also sends

money to the children’s parents.

This ranges from 50 to 60 ETB annually.

Apart from this, the ‘employer’ provides

for the child’s basic needs (e.g., food,

clothes and shelter). 17

Positive and Negative Features

Positive Negative

Acquisition of weaving skills No schooling

Socializing with peers Missing parents

Relative independence

though the wage is nominal

Improved outlook/maturity

Living under employer

Face abuses at times

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Weaving Skills

All children were happy when talking

about the weaving skills they acquired.

A child said,

Although I started weaving when I was

with my family, I was doing very simple

tasks there. I have acquired several skills

after I came here. (Child 3, Age 15)

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Schooling

All the children were not going to school at the

time of data collection.

Four children started soon after they came to

Addis. But they dropped out later.

One child said,

When I was with my family back home, I had

never been to school for my parents were not

willing. I think it was because I was the elder

child and there was no one else who could look

after the oxen and cows at that time. (Child 4,

Age 14) 20

Schooling

About his schooling after he came to

Addis, the same child said,

My employer took me to Amha Desta

School and got me registered for

evening classes. But he tore my

exercise books and threw them away

after just a week and I stopped

school after that. (Child 4, Age 14)

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Socializing with Peers

One child said,

Every week, I spend two days with my

friends drinking “Tela” and “Korefe” [local

drinks]. On Sundays, we receive money

from our employers. We contribute money

for our drinks and come together on

Sundays and Mondays, take local drinks

and sing our traditional songs together.

22

Missing Parents

One child stated,

Sometimes I miss my family very much.

However, even when I decide to go and

visit them with my employer’s permission,

I could not afford the transportation

expenses. The fare is beyond my income

and savings. (Child 1, Age 14)

Seven of the children have never visited

their parents. Only two have managed to

do that only once in four or five years.

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Relative Independence

One child said,

At present, I don’t expect to get anything

from anyone, not even from my parents.

Relatively, I am independent. I am living

without help from anyone.

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Improved View/Maturity

One child said,

Had I been in my home village, I would

never get the chances I have here. I also

think better now than before. For

example, when I was in Diko, my view of

the world was very limited. I used to think

about Diko as the world; no more. My

view now goes far beyond.

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Living in Gamo or in Addis?

Had I been in Gamo Addis Ababa

I could have attended school. I acquired weaving skills.

I could have helped my

family.

I go out with my peers and

enjoy twice a week.

But I could not have any financial income of my own.

Though small, I have my own income.

I could have ended up being a farmer like my parents.

No schooling Missing one’s family.

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Regrets?

A child (aged 15) said,

I do not regret that I came here. Had I been in Gamo, I could have got nothing better. Addis Ababa is better for me. For example, if I become ill, I can get medical treatment immediately.

Talking about his preference, another child aged 14 said, “I would like to continue weaving and be self-reliant.”

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Conclusion

The children characterized weaving as a work which has both positive and negative aspects.

The positive feature of weaving is the skill the children acquired. They can now weave more complex designs.

Chief among the negative aspects is that the children do not attend school.

Even then, life in Addis is better for more than half of the children (5 out of 9).

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