ghana: kayayei

Unfortunately many children from northern Ghana take on some form of child labor due to the intense poverty their families suffer from. Kayayei (plural for Kayayeo) consists of children and young adults, mostly girls, who travel from the relatively impoverished northern region of Ghana to the south (mainly Accra and Kumasi) to work as porters in the large open markets. Sharifa, (approximately 13- she is unsure of her age) came to Agblogbloshie Market in Accra from her village in the north two years ago. She has been working in this market since her arrival and makes an average of $2 a day carrying goods for shoppers and vendors.

Sharifa does not have the same opportunities as other children in Accra. She tries to not think about the future, her only concern is if she will be able to afford her next meal which only comes once a day. When she sees other school children in the market she longs for an education and her dream of becoming a fashion designer but knows that she will most likely follow in the steps of many other Kayayei- to marry at a young age, bare children and continue her life as a porter.