Child labour doesn’t have to be exploitation – it gave me life skills | Elizabeth Sibale

Growing up in Africa taught me to be self-reliant and resilient. Putting children to work must be seen in local context

Aged eight, Tayambile would walk with her mother every day to fetch water. On her 2km return journey in 30C heat, she would carry 20 litres in an aluminium bucket on her head.

She would then help to pound maize in a mortar and prepare food for the family – typically fresh fish caught by her father on the lake.

Related: Five myths about child labour

There is an African proverb: by crawling, a child learns to stand

Dr Elizabeth Sibale is deputy chief of party at global impact firm Palladium

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from Children | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2IaTpCT