Monday, March 20, 2006

Just a Couple of Neighbor Kids

Ishmael and Sam live not too far from us. Their families are not able to send them to school. Instead, Ishmael and Sam work, most of the day, every day, selling food and snacks created by the ladies in charge of their house. They sell to make a few dollars the families need to eat, for just that day.

Ishmael and Sam are not alone. Every day, little children are everywhere around us missing school, selling homemade treats to other children and adults to provide for their families. They are as young as four or five. These two are nine and seven. They visit us almost every day.

Every evening, they are out selling what their mothers or aunts make. Here Sam offers bananas and Ishmael is selling plantain chips.

Here they are the next morning, Ishmael selling donuts and Sam selling banana fritters.