World Day Against Child Labour
Child egg sellers in Dili with high dreams of being a pilot and a soldier
Based on the 2016 Child Labour Survey, more than 50 thousand children are in child labour in Timor-Leste. Poverty is still the main reason for these children to work and to support their families, including the three young brothers who share their life story as egg sellers.
12 June 2024
Under the scorching heat and dusty roads of the capital city of Timor-Leste, Dili, three brothers—Eby, 13 years old, Kaimau, 12 years old and Abara, 10 years old—have been selling boiled eggs to passers-by every day for almost four years. In their crumpled shirts, shorts, and worn-out flip-flops, they walk for 3 kilometres from their home after school.
Starting around noon, they work 6-7 hours a day during the week, and more than eight hours during weekend, selling boiled eggs for US$ 25 cent. They usually sell one or two trays per day and earn US$ 1.5 to 2 per tray, after deducting the expenses for their meals and for public transportation going back home.
“All of our earnings are given to our mother. Sometimes people pity us and pay extra money, but our father always teaches us not to beg money for pity,” told Abara, the second youngest brother.
The three brothers admitted that they miss spending time with their friends to play and study. “My hobby is playing soccer, sometimes I envy my friends as I cannot play or buy things like other children. Yet, I accept life as it is,” Kaimau said.
Meanwhile, the oldest Eby who has grown into a teenager begins to feel insecure working on the street. “I am afraid my school friends will see me selling eggs here. I feel embarrassed”.
In Timor-Leste, there around 421,655 children aged 5-17 years old, of whom 12.5 percent are child labourers, including Eby, Kaimau and Abara The three brothers have become the main provider to their family of 6 that includes their parents and a younger brother since their family has fallen into poverty after their father got sick and lost his job in 2019.
After working for 8 years as a migrant worker, their father, Armindo, 40 years old, was diagnosed with chronic Hepatitis B five years ago. As a result, their family lost their house, car and all of their possessions to pay for medicines and continuous treatment.
“I lost everything after getting ill. I will not send my boys on the street if I am able to work and provide decent living for my family,” told Armindo.
Using their last savings, the family bought a small house on the riverbank nearby Dili. They all live under zincalum roofing which gets very hot under the sun and the house gets flooded when it rains. The family is also part of the 48.3 percent Timorese who are multidimensionally poor and living below the income poverty line with most of them working in the informal sector.
Adding to their struggle, the family was recently notified by the local government that they would be evicted from their house due to safety reasons. “With my current condition, I am trying to support my family by helping my brother sells goods from Dili to surrounding municipalities. However, we do not know where to go if we lose our house,” Armindo added.
Meanwhile, Maria, 32 years old, is now a stay-at-home mother caring for her fourth youngest son whose was born prematurely three years ago due to pre-eclampsia. Their son now suffers seizures and needs 24-hour care. Maria said that her son still could not walk, lift his head or talk.
“I used to sell wrapped rice with vegetables in the city centre, but I cannot work anymore. Not only do I have to take care of my youngest son who is sick, but my health condition has not fully recovered since giving birth,” she said, adding that since her family could not afford milk, she could only feed her son with an instant energy cereal.
Tendy Gunawan, ILO’s Programme Officer in Timor-Leste, stated that child labour cannot be seen in isolation. Its abolition is a fundamental principle and right at work, along with the elimination of forced labour, freedom of association, collective bargaining, non-discrimination, and the right to a healthy and safe working environment.
“Child labour is a complex issue that often stems from poverty in the family, compounded by lack of knowledge and information on healthcare. Solutions will require concerted efforts and commitment from all stakeholders in the country. Thus, integrated strategies are needed that enhance access to all fundamental principles and rights at work, as they have proven to sustainably address the poverty and inequality that drive child labour,” stated Tendy.
Despite their living conditions, the three brothers are enjoying school and are committed to continue their studies for as long as possible. “I want to be a soldier when I grow up,” said Kaimau who is also fond of playing football while, Abara said excitedly: “I want to be a pilot, flying airplanes across the sky.”