{"page":"\u003clink rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https://lessonplanet.com/assets/packs/css/resources-c03aa079.css\" /\u003e\n\u003clink rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https://lessonplanet.com/assets/packs/css/lp_boclips_stylesheets-517835be.css\" media=\"all\" /\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-title='Ethiopian girl pays for education by shining shoes' data-url='/boclips/videos/5c54bb24d8eafeecae122d65' data-video-url='/boclips/videos/5c54bb24d8eafeecae122d65' id='bo_player_modal'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='boclips-resource-page modal-dialog panel-container'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='react-notifications-root'\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-header'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-type'\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fai fa-regular fa-circle-play'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\nVideo\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch1 class='rp-title' id='video-title'\u003e\nEthiopian girl pays for education by shining shoes\n\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-actions'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='mr-1'\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"btn btn-success\" data-posthog-event=\"Signup: LP Signup Activity\" data-posthog-location=\"body_link_boclips\" data-remote=\"true\" href=\"/subscription/new\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGet Free Access\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e for 10 Days\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e!\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-body'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-info'\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-label='Hide resource details' class='rp-hide-info' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u0026times;\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ci aria-label='Expand resource details' class='rp-expand-info fai fa-solid fa-up-right-and-down-left-from-center' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003ci aria-label='Compress resource details' class='rp-compress-info fai fa-solid fa-down-left-and-up-right-to-center' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-rating'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='resource-pool'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='pool-label'\u003ePublisher:\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class='pool-name'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='text'\u003e\u003ca data-publisher-id=\"30356011\" href=\"/search?publisher_ids%5B%5D=30356011\"\u003eCurated Video\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-description'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='short-description'\u003e1. Various of Meskerem washing family laundry 2. Meskerem's mother Bercha with baby3. Various of Meskerem with shoe shine kit4. Various of Meskerem cleaning shoes  5. SOUNDBITE (Amharic) Meskerem Geremew, girl who shines shoes:\"I wake up...\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class='full-description hide'\u003e1. Various of Meskerem washing family laundry \u003cbr/\u003e2. Meskerem's mother Bercha with baby\u003cbr/\u003e3. Various of Meskerem with shoe shine kit\u003cbr/\u003e4. Various of Meskerem cleaning shoes  \u003cbr/\u003e5. SOUNDBITE (Amharic) Meskerem Geremew, girl who shines shoes:\u003cbr/\u003e\"I wake up early and have a wash and eat some breakfast, if there's some food in the house. I leave the house at 7.30am and walk to the area I shine shoes in. Most of my customers come before 8am, as they start work soon after. I'll clean their shoes, and sometimes to attract them back I give them a second shine for free. That's how I keep customers.\"\u003cbr/\u003e6. Close up of shoe shine polish\u003cbr/\u003e7. Various of Meskerem shining shoes \u003cbr/\u003e8. SOUNDBITE: (Amharic) Tesfaye Hagos, shoe shine customer:\u003cbr/\u003e\"I was amazed the first time I saw her shining shoes, it's so uncommon. It was the first time I saw a girl doing this job. I accepted it and encouraged her to work hard. I think that what she's doing is great because she's earning money. And she's showing other girls that they can do this too.\"\u003cbr/\u003e9. Close up Meskerem  shining shoes\u003cbr/\u003e10. SOUNDBITE: (Amharic) Yitagesu Akhilu, shoe shine customer:\u003cbr/\u003e\"It's unusual to see a girl shining shoes. This one is doing it to earn a living. I encourage her and support her.\"\u003cbr/\u003e11. Wide of Meskerem's family at home, Bercha holding baby\u003cbr/\u003e12. Bercha washing\u003cbr/\u003e13. SOUNDBITE (Amharic) Bercha Hinga, Meskerem's mother:\u003cbr/\u003e\"Meskerem is a special girl. She's so brave. She goes out to work all alone shining shoes and comes home every day with some money to help me. But sometimes, if she doesn't earn any money, she feels very bad and disappointed.  I am proud of her. She is such a responsible girl.  She's the only one supporting the family.\"\u003cbr/\u003e14. Meskerem at family home \u003cbr/\u003e15. SOUNDBITE (Amharic) Meskerem Geremew, girl who shines shoes:\u003cbr/\u003e\"The main reason I do this is to help my family. Before, my father was the only one working before. But after he died there was no one to work and earn money. Mum now has a small job but she doesn't earn much money. The money I get goes towards food for the family.  I help anyway I can.\" \u003cbr/\u003e16. Meskerem cleaning customers shoes\u003cbr/\u003e17. Various of young girls watching and learning how to shoe shine\u003cbr/\u003e18.  Mulatu Tafesse, Program Director, Godanaw Rehabilitation Integrated Project sitting at desk talking to colleagues\u003cbr/\u003e19. SOUNDBITE (Amharic) Mulatu Tafesse, Programme Director, Godanaw Rehabilitation Integrated Project:\u003cbr/\u003e\"People say that 'child-labour' is bad. But is it better that these kids are on the streets begging or shining shoes to earn some money? If it's forced labour, then I disagree of course, But I hate to see begging hands and if these kids choose to work to support themselves and their families, and need some help getting started, I don't think there's anything wrong with that.\"\u003cbr/\u003e20. Wide of entrance to Meskerem's school with sign (in Amharic)\u003cbr/\u003e21. Various of  Meskerem sitting inside school compound with teacher reading book\u003cbr/\u003e22. Various of primary school class\u003cbr/\u003e23. Mulugeth Begitual, Ethiopian Ministry of Education spokesman at desk reading\u003cbr/\u003e24. SOUNDBITE (Amharic) Mulugeth Begitual, Ethiopian Ministry of Education spokesman:\u003cbr/\u003e\"In my opinion, it's a pity that young children are having to work to pay for their education. This is partly because this is a poor country and it's difficult for the government to help every single child. But it's also up to the parents to strive for a better life and to help their children.\"\u003cbr/\u003e25. Close up Meskerem cleaning shoe\u003cbr/\u003e26. SOUNDBITE (Amharic) Meskerem Geremew, shoe shiner:\u003cbr/\u003e\"When I grow up I want to be a doctor. I want to help prevent diseases like AIDS and tuberculosis, because I know people who've died from them.\"\u003cbr/\u003e27. Meskerem arriving through gate at home with shoe shine bag\u003cbr/\u003e28. Meskerem walking towards house \u003cbr/\u003e29. Interior of family home, Meskerem giving days earnings to her mother\u003cbr/\u003e30. Various of Geremew family dancing\u003cbr/\u003eUNICEF figures indicate that many children in Ethiopia  are missing out on an education.  \u003cbr/\u003eFigures show that 79% of boys and 61% of girls are enrolled far fewer actually attend regularly. \u003cbr/\u003e(Primary school attendance ratio (1996-2004*), net, male 33 % and  female 28 % ) \u003cbr/\u003eThe non-governmental organisation (NGO) says that 23% of the country's total population survives on less than one US dollar a day. \u003cbr/\u003e(23% of population below $1 a day, 1993-2003). \u003cbr/\u003eFaced with poverty and limited way of earning a living - for many parents it's a struggle to send their children to school.\u003cbr/\u003eOne young girl has taken the initiative to support her family and pay for her own education  - by shining shoes.\u003cbr/\u003eTraditionally a job reserved for boys and men, Meserem Geremew hopes to start a new trend. \u003cbr/\u003e12 year old Meskerem Geremew carries a massive weight on her young shoulders.\u003cbr/\u003eWhen her father, the family's only breadwinner, died recently the family was left penniless. \u003cbr/\u003eHer mother and four younger siblings had nowhere to turn and with no social security to assist the family, Meskerem was forced to find work. \u003cbr/\u003eThere are a limited number of jobs for young teenage girls in the capital Addis Ababa, so Meskerem decided to do something completely different. \u003cbr/\u003eShe decided to compete with her male counterparts and she went into the streets to shine shoes.\u003cbr/\u003eShe moves from place to place in search of customers and is slowly getting to know people and build up a regular client list. \u003cbr/\u003eDuring the school holidays Meskerem works every day but during term-time she only works in the evenings and weekends.\u003cbr/\u003eAt the moment she has up to 20 customers per day. They'll each pay around 10 US cents for a shine with polish, and a little more if she uses cream. \u003cbr/\u003eThis meagre income is just enough to feed the family and to cover her school costs.\u003cbr/\u003eBack at home Meskerem helps her mother, 29-year-old Bercha. \u003cbr/\u003eBercha also has a job, collecting rubbish, but only earns US$8 per month from that and the rent for the house costs twice that each month.\u003cbr/\u003eWithout Meskerem's contribution the family simply couldn't survive.\u003cbr/\u003eNobody knows how many shoe shiners there are in Addis Ababa, but it's estimated to be in the thousands.\u003cbr/\u003eMen and boys are scattered throughout the city, often looking bored and frustrated at the lack of customers. \u003cbr/\u003eA shoe shine will take only minutes and there's simply not enough people with dirty shoes to keep them busy all day.\u003cbr/\u003eHowever the  novelty of a girl shining shoes attracts inquisitive customers. \u003cbr/\u003eShe's also proving to be somewhat of an inspiration to other girls. \u003cbr/\u003eMulatu Tafesse set up an NGO in Addis Ababa, which helps children who shine shoes providing them with the kit they need to get started. \u003cbr/\u003eHe says he is against to forced child labour but he prefers to see children working for a living than begging.\u003cbr/\u003eThe Ethiopian Ministry of Education says that 89 percent of 7 - 14 year olds are enrolled in school. \u003cbr/\u003eBut UNICEF's figures indicate that whilst 79% of boys and 61% of girls are enrolled far fewer actually attend regularly. \u003cbr/\u003e(Primary school attendance ratio (1996-2004*), net, male 33 % and  female 28 % ) \u003cbr/\u003eGovernment schools for 7 to 14 year olds are free, but above and below that age families must pay to educate their children.\u003cbr/\u003eEthiopian Ministry of Education spokesman Mulugeth Begitual says Ethiopia is a poor country and it is families not the government who must encourage education.\u003cbr/\u003eThe government school close to Meskerem's house is full so she's forced to pay to go to a public school. It's partly funded by the government and she has to contribute US$2 per month.\u003cbr/\u003eFor parents like Bercha even that tiny amount is out of the question. \u003cbr/\u003eBut now Meskerem earns enough to pay her own education fees and says that one day she hopes to become a doctor. \u003cbr/\u003eWhen she is not at school or working she Meskerem helps her mother at home with her four siblings. \u003cbr/\u003eAnd when all the work is done..... there's time to dance.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='action-container flex justify-between'\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded='false' aria-label='Read more description' class='rp-full-description' type='button'\u003e\n\u003ci class='fai fa-solid fa-align-left'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003cspan id='read_more'\u003eRead More\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-report'\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-labelledby='resource-details-heading' class='rp-info-section'\u003e\n\u003ch2 class='title' id='resource-details-heading'\u003eResource Details\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-resource-details clearfix'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eCurator Rating\u003c/dt\u003e\n\u003cdd\u003e\u003cspan class=\"star-rating\" aria-label=\"3.5 out of 5 stars\" role=\"img\"\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-solid fa-star text-action\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-solid fa-star text-action\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-solid fa-star text-action\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-solid fa-star-half-stroke text-action\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-regular fa-star text-action\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt class=\"educator-rating-title\"\u003eEducator Rating\u003c/dt\u003e\u003cdd\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"educator-rating-details\" data-path=\"/educator_ratings/rrp_data?resourceable_id=785859\u0026amp;resourceable_type=Boclips%3A%3AVideoMetadata\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"not-yet-rated\"\u003eNot yet Rated\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eGrade\u003c/dt\u003e\u003cdd title=\"Grade\"\u003eHigher Ed\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eSubjects\u003c/dt\u003e\u003cdd\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003ca href=\"/search?grade_ids%5B%5D=259\u0026amp;search_tab_id=1\u0026amp;subject_ids%5B%5D=1216220\"\u003eAll Subjects\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eMedia Type\u003c/dt\u003e\u003cdd\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003ca href=\"/search?grade_ids%5B%5D=259\u0026amp;search_tab_id=2\u0026amp;type_ids%5B%5D=4543650\"\u003eNews Clips\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eSource:\u003c/dt\u003e\n\u003cdd\u003e\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eDate\u003c/dt\u003e\n\u003cdd\u003e2006\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fai fa-solid fa-language'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eAudiences\u003c/dt\u003e\u003cdd\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003ca href=\"/search?audience_ids%5B%5D=371079\u0026amp;grade_ids%5B%5D=259\u0026amp;search_tab_id=1\"\u003eFor Teacher Use\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/dd\u003e\u003cdd class=\"text-muted\"\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-solid fa-lock mr5\"\u003e\u003c/i\u003e2 more...\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-labelledby='concepts-heading' class='rp-info-section'\u003e\n\u003ch2 class='title' id='concepts-heading'\u003eConcepts\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='clearfix'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='details-list concepts' data-identifier='Boclips::VideoDecorator' data-type='concepts'\u003esocial issues, africa, personal finance, business, ethiopia, child labor, economy\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='concepts-toggle-buttons' data-identifier='Boclips::VideoDecorator'\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded='false' class='more btn-link' type='button'\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eShow More\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fa-solid fa-caret-down ml5'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003c/button\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded='true' class='less btn-link' style='display: none;' type='button'\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eShow Less\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fa-solid fa-caret-up ml5'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003c/button\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-labelledby='additional-tags-heading' class='rp-info-section'\u003e\n\u003ch2 class='title' id='additional-tags-heading'\u003eAdditional Tags\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='clearfix'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='details-list keyterms' data-identifier='Boclips::VideoDecorator' data-type='keyterms'\u003epersonal spending, child welfare, ethiopia government, colder, good, government and politics, social affairs, mathematica, witch, demo, non-governmental organizations, labor issues, gonna, addis ababa, human welfare, east africa\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='keyterms-toggle-buttons' data-identifier='Boclips::VideoDecorator'\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded='false' class='more btn-link' type='button'\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eShow More\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fa-solid fa-caret-down ml5'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003c/button\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded='true' class='less btn-link' style='display: none;' type='button'\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eShow Less\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fa-solid fa-caret-up ml5'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003c/button\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-labelledby='educator-ratings-heading' class='rp-info-section'\u003e\n\u003ch2 class='title sr-only' id='educator-ratings-heading'\u003eEducator Ratings\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"educator-ratings-root\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"all-educator-ratings-root\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"educator-rating-form-root\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-resource'\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-label='Show resource details' class='rp-show-info' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\n\u003ci class='fai fa-solid fa-align-left'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\nShow resource details\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-label='Video player' class='player' id='player-wrapper' role='region'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='relative container mx-auto' id='lp-boclips-visitor-thumbnail'\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"block\" data-html=\"true\" data-placement=\"bottom\" data-trigger=\"click\" data-content=\"\u003cdiv class=\u0026quot;text-center py-2\u0026quot;\u003e\u003ca class=\u0026quot;bold\u0026quot; href=\u0026quot;/auth/users/sign_in\u0026quot;\u003eSign in\u003c/a\u003e or \u003ca class=\u0026quot;bold text-danger\u0026quot; data-posthog-event=\u0026quot;Signup: LP Signup Activity\u0026quot; data-posthog-location=\u0026quot;body_link_boclips\u0026quot; data-remote=\u0026quot;true\u0026quot; href=\u0026quot;/subscription/new\u0026quot;\u003eJoin Now\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\" data-title=\"Get Full Access\" data-container=\"body\" rel=\"popover\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Play video: Ethiopian girl pays for education by shining shoes\" href=\"/subscription/new\"\u003e\u003cimg class=\"resource-img img-thumbnail img-responsive z-10 lp-boclips-thumbnail w-full h-full lozad\" alt=\"Ethiopian girl pays for education by shining shoes\" title=\"Ethiopian girl pays for education by shining shoes\" onError=\"handleImageNotLoadedError(this)\" data-default-image=\"https://static.lp.lexp.cloud/images/attachment_defaults/resource/large/missing.png\" data-src=\"https://static.lp.lexp.cloud/images/attachment_defaults/resource/large/missing.png\" width=\"315\" height=\"220\" src=\"data:image/png;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAD/ACwAAAAAAQABAAACADs\" /\u003e\n\u003cspan aria-hidden='true' class='flex justify-center items-center bg-white rounded-full w-16 h-16 absolute top-1/2 left-1/2 -mt-8 -ml-8 cursor-pointer z-0 border-2 border-primary drop-shadow-md lp-boclips-thumbnail-playBtn'\u003e\n\u003ci class='fa-solid fa-play text-primary text-3xl ml-1 drop-shadow-xl'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n"}