A face without a single wrinkle stares at passers by as they stop to inspect green olives overflowing in baskets. He is sitting amid fresh produce, spraying it with water so that it glints in the sunshine. People pick through the harvest, focused on their next meal.
Watching carefully, the person takes his whole palm to his face and rubs it, as if he’s trying to wash it clean of something. It’s a swift motion, a gesture that makes him seem wise beyond his years, and tired.
I wake up at 11 a.m., get my breakfast, and then I go to work selling fruits and vegetables. I come back from work at 11 p.m. I have to work this job because it’s our source of living.
Radwan is 18 years old. Born and raised in Amman, he lives in his childhood home with his mother, father, and three siblings: a younger brother and two younger sisters. Cousins and other extended family live nearby.
When Radwan was very young, his father had a job at a security company. It was a good job. He earned enough money to support his family of six. But, when he got into an accident and couldn’t work anymore, he was promptly laid off.
That’s when Radwan committed to working full time.
He was 12.
A few years earlier, when Radwan was 10, he dropped out of school. A problem with his leg led to surgery and then a permanent limp, and he just couldn’t handle the bullying anymore.
His father’s accident solidified Radwan’s role as the main breadwinner of the household.
Since his father is often sick and cannot work, and his mother takes care of his younger siblings, it’s up to Radwan to keep the lights on and put food on the table.
Radwan’s first job was in a tailor shop. Not yet a teenager, he would organize the merchandise and direct customers around the store. He didn’t mind the work, at the time.
I’ve worked several different jobs before this one. I’ve worked selling clothes, I worked at a restaurant. I can’t recall them all, there have been so many.
Today, he works as a fruit and vegetable vendor in an outdoor market in Amman. Everyone he works with is older than him. And the work is seasonal, so he never has time to really get to know his coworkers.
Although they’re kind to him, Radwan doesn’t plan on staying much longer. He’s currently searching for a different job, perhaps in a shop.
When I’m not working, I spend time with my friends. My friends don’t work. They all go to school. I would like to go back to school.
A few years ago, Radwan’s mother learned about a local NGO called Ruwwad, a MAP16 partner, which helps at-risk children and youth get back on their feet. She shared her family’s story with the staff there.
Outreach workers placed him in their programme for children involved in child labour. In 2016, Ruwwad began organizing activities under the specific umbrella of child labour, not just school dropouts. Now, he can participate in workshops designed specifically for children like him.
I always dreamt of being a chef when I grew up. But, my next step is to get my driver’s license. That’s my goal right now.
