Young Citizens: Sidebar 2

Young Citizens:
Sidebar 2

Fall 1998, v.14-3
From the Periphery of Belem to the Second National Meeting: Maria's Story

For a child of 10, working at the Sao Bras market can be very scary. But for Maria Costa taking food home was a sacred activity. "My father was a security guard. He earned very little. My work provided my family with the daily meal," she said.

Maria assisted a woman who sold vegetables. At first one of her sisters worked with her but found the going too tough. Children were regarded as pests by some stallholders and subjected to exploitation and abuse by others. Girls suffered endless sexual harassment from men.

"You had to be very closed in on yourself, because they put a lot of pressure on you," says Maria. "At times the stallholders would even chase us out of the market, or seize our merchandise. They would beat up the paper bag sellers. They were really mean. It was hard to earn enough by selling vegetables. Some girls did sell their bodies to get a little money for their families. At times I didn't want to go to the market, but I had no choice. I was lucky, I only had one real problem with one stallholder and the Republic helped me to deal with that.

"They came one day and introduced themselves to us and told us about the Republic of the Small Vendors.* I told them about this man who was worrying me and they listened very carefully to me. They invited me to visit the Republic. We went there for lunch and met up with many other working boys and girls. Some girls were even smaller than me. We could go there at weekends, as well. There was lots of recreation, games to play and excursions into the countryside. We would also discuss our problems in the work place, or at home, problems with drugs, sexuality, violence against children. We felt these educators were really interested in our well-being. They gave us a lot of strength to find our way and deal with our lives. It was a very good experience."

When she turned 16, Maria was chosen by her grassroots nucleus to join the Formal Work Market and work in the federal bank. She was then elected to represent the Employees' Group at the Second National Meeting in Brasilia, where she met with representatives. "A congressman paid for the bus and there were other children with us from Castanhal and Santarim. It was very good to see all the other children from the 27 states and to exchange information with them. There was a lot of joy and enthusiasm."

When Maria turned 18, she left the Republic. She got a job in Belem as office assistant with the National Movement's Committee for the Northern Region and continued with her schooling. Her plan is to become a lawyer and work for the street children's cause.

-Excerpted in part from the book Children for Social Change, by Anthony Swift, with permission of the author.

NEW DESIGNS FOR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT © 1998



	Young Citizens: Sidebar 2
Fall 1998, v.14-3	From the Periphery of Belem to the Second National Meeting: Maria's Story
	For a child of 10, working at the Sao Bras market can be very scary. But for Maria Costa taking food home was a sacred activity. "My father was a security guard. He earned very little. My work provided my family with the daily meal," she said. Maria assisted a woman who sold vegetables. At first one of her sisters worked with her but found the going too tough. Children were regarded as pests by some stallholders and subjected to exploitation and abuse by others. Girls suffered endless sexual harassment from men. "You had to be very closed in on yourself, because they put a lot of pressure on you," says Maria. "At times the stallholders would even chase us out of the market, or seize our merchandise. They would beat up the paper bag sellers. They were really mean. It was hard to earn enough by selling vegetables. Some girls did sell their bodies to get a little money for their families. At times I didn't want to go to the market, but I had no choice. I was lucky, I only had one real problem with one stallholder and the Republic helped me to deal with that. "They came one day and introduced themselves to us and told us about the Republic of the Small Vendors.* I told them about this man who was worrying me and they listened very carefully to me. They invited me to visit the Republic. We went there for lunch and met up with many other working boys and girls. Some girls were even smaller than me. We could go there at weekends, as well. There was lots of recreation, games to play and excursions into the countryside. We would also discuss our problems in the work place, or at home, problems with drugs, sexuality, violence against children. We felt these educators were really interested in our well-being. They gave us a lot of strength to find our way and deal with our lives. It was a very good experience." When she turned 16, Maria was chosen by her grassroots nucleus to join the Formal Work Market and work in the federal bank. She was then elected to represent the Employees' Group at the Second National Meeting in Brasilia, where she met with representatives. "A congressman paid for the bus and there were other children with us from Castanhal and Santarim. It was very good to see all the other children from the 27 states and to exchange information with them. There was a lot of joy and enthusiasm." When Maria turned 18, she left the Republic. She got a job in Belem as office assistant with the National Movement's Committee for the Northern Region and continued with her schooling. Her plan is to become a lawyer and work for the street children's cause. -Excerpted in part from the book Children for Social Change, by Anthony Swift, with permission of the author.

	NEW DESIGNS FOR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT © 1998