via an article by aljazeera I noticed a youtube video featuring the dangerous work of children in Brazil on the Tajaparu river – who daily try with their small boats to get on board of fast-moving ferries to sell some food there …
related to the 200th anniversary of Charles Dickens and his Oliver Twist I dare to put the finger in the wound again: the gap between rich and poor still is not closed – in the contrary! worst of all: still children in many countries are suffering!
related:
http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/2011/05/201153142852595854.html?utm_content=automateplus&utm_campaign=Trial6&utm_source=SocialFlow&utm_medium=MasterAccount&utm_term=tweets
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the photo below title=”People of Amazon” is made by Neil Palmer/CIAT
uploaded by CIFOR, click on the image to enter the galleries there:
Edli-CIFOR Photo Editor: he saw, on the other hand, many happy children on boats in Brazil …
CIFOR is a blog too: http://blog.cifor.org/
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- Henning Mankell: Why Dickens Demanded More (telegraph.co.uk)
- A Charles Dickens Devotional, edited by Jean Fischer – A Review & Giveaway! (austenprose.com)
- How to teach … Charles Dickens (guardian.co.uk)
- Charles Dickens’ 200th Birthday Celebrated in Philadelphia (inquisitr.com)
Flickr Comments 
So interesting but such a dark statement that our world still allows this to happen to children.
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Risking it all is a title that really fits to the circumstances shown in the video. Reading “dangerous work (…) on fast moving ferries” I didn’t know what to expect. I was shocked that it was even worse than I thought. But honestly, I am a little surprised too, about myself, about being surprised. I should know by now, that people (children!) – especially those who have hardly nothing – are willing to risk their lives (and often doing that exactly) in order to be able to live. But then again, it’s different if you actually see it with your own eyes (even it’s only via video), or if you are just assuming it.
Thanks for sharing, Frizztext.
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dear Cassie, you are living now in Cologne at the river Rhine: when I was young (aged 16) I used to get on board of the Rhine ships there – I had fins to swim faster, and it was not very dangerous, it was fun and sports for the youth in the sixties. It is really risky what the Brazilian children (often not aged six) are doing daily – even in the night. But before they can sell their food, they have to climb up the trees to catch the fruits hanging 30 meters over ground. The result: 0.25 cents each … – compare an European family income …
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Out of interest.. were the Rhine ships any different than those today? It’s hard for me to imagine, how one could climb up there out of the water. Why did you do it? For fun/sports, as you said? It seems risky for me, because of the swirls etc. I’m not judging, just trying to understand.
Of course that’s maybe not comparable with the situation of the “River kids” in Brazil. I still can’t believe it. That job is highly dangerous even for adults, and these children are so young, nevertheless risking everything (as you said, for almost nothing compared to an European family income)!
But what can be done about it? What can each of us do, to prevent people around the world living in those conditions? Right now, I give a little money away for charity. But is this really enough? I highly doubt it!
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a woman is now a leader in Brazil – but I hardly can hope, that she alone could be able to change conditions … – similar support is in Russia if you use the Transsiberian railway to Wladiwostok; they sell food to the passengers too (a little begging): but the train always takes a little break in the station … – no dangers there – only the gap between rich tourists and poor locals – sad enough;
actually they say in Europe, Mrs. Thatcher was guilty to support cruel capitalism too much. but can a single lady do so great evil? but I don’t understand, why Streep makes actually a movie featuring her; better to repeat Roman Polanski’s Oliver Twist / Charles Dickens movie …
P.S.:
we only could climb on board of the very heavy loaded ships, not the empty ones (too high to climb)
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It is such a shame that children often suffer the most.
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It’s sad that children are forced into labor so young. In America, most children don’t realize how lucky they are.
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…and this is sadly not the only insane thing that the west is looking the other way…
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I saw this as a tv documentary a few months ago, horrendous, words fail me. Thank God the sailors seem to try to help a little.
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Very fitting of you to highlight this dangerous work for these very poor children in Brazil on the 200th anniversay of Charles Dickens!
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No matter what, and beyond reason: The strong keep prey on the weak, regardless of all the laws, regulations, and morals!
Solution anybody?
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This is also quite common along the Ganjes and other rivers in India.
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How dangerous. I was surprised at that.
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It’s very saddening to see such despair in children. I hope that your blogging about the dangerous way these children have to feed and clothe themselves results in a positive change in their environment.
I wonder if the Peace Corps could help these children and their families? I wonder if the Brazilian government would allow a foreign organization to come in and help?
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http://www.openculture.com/2012/02/celebrate_the_200th_birthday_of_charles_dickens_with_free_movies_ebooks_and_audio_books.html
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Child labor remains one of the biggest problems in poor nations… another important issue for our millennium.
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