Mamuk is my hero!

Mamuk is a 12 years old boy who is a 7th grade student and a shoeshiner here in Asmara, Eritrea at the same time. He is at school half of the day and working the other half.His father is dead and his mother is sick and unable to support her family. Mamuk has literally been forced to be the breadwinner of the family at this early age. He has been working as a shoeshiner for over a year now and he feels proud in being able to provide for the family. He could make up to 100 dollars a month which is not enough for the family but at least helps them make ends meet.


I usually get my shoes polished by Mamuk and do not feel comfortable with the whole situation. A young boy who is supposed to be playing instead of doing my shoes. I always keep on asking him questions about his family and school. I would like to help him in some ways and covering his schoolexpenses is what I intend to do when he starts school again next week after the winter vacation.

Mamuk is just one of those millions of children across the world who have to work to help their family. One could be against childlabour and denounce it but what other options do these children like Mamuk have? Eritrea is a very poor country but tries to stand on its own feet by any means necessary. Aid is not the solution for Eritrea and self-sufficiency and self-relience is the only way out of poverty. Neither west nor east are our saviours but ourselves. Eritrea´s future could be bright if the so called “international community” and neighbouring Ethiopia left us alone. Every country has its own issues and need to deal with it on its own premises based on the preconditions of the country.