Girl selling
bags of water - Libreville, Gabon
For many girls trafficked from Benin, dreams of a new life
soon become nightmares. Forced to sell goods on the city streets,
they compete with one another for trade, knowing that they
will be beaten if they don't meet their daily quota.
The work is exhausting; a child selling bags of water carries
a full load of over seven litres. But even though they walk
crowded streets, they remain anonymous, their presence unquestioned
by passers-by.
Many miles from their families and with no earnings to
support themselves, the girls
are totally dependent on their 'employers'. Exhaustion and
depression, together with physical and mental abuse forces
these girls into a state of subservience. Many lose hope
of ever returning home.
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