First appeared on Ctrl.Alt.Shift on March 22 2011

In the midst of the recent revolution in Egypt, Amy Hall takes a look at the on-ground rehabilitation work with Egypt’s next generation…

Egypt has become famous for its recent revolution, toppling one of the world’s longest serving presidents, Hosni Mubarak. Protesters were unhappy about their standard of living, the lack of accountability and transparency in society, and high levels of corruption.

Despite its high profile as a tourist destination, 20% of people in Egypt live below the poverty line and there are 2.7million child workers. Tabitha Ross, Christian Aid Communications Officer for the Middle East, visited Egypt last year and spoke to some of these children, working in limestone quarries.

13 year old Haytham Abdulazuz works at a quarry full time: “I didn’t like school because the teacher hit me and was always unpleasant to me. It’s better to work here and have some income for me and my family.”

Mina Said, now 15, left school at 13 but is now back in education thanks to help from Wadi el Nil, a Christian Aid partner organisation Christian Aid supports Wadi el Nil to train and empower adult quarry workers to claim their rights, such as the right to education for their children.

Mina said he suffered no violence at his previous school but the low quality of teaching meant he felt he was better off earning money for the family. “The subjects were difficult and there was not enough time and the teachers didn’t explain clearly so I felt lost.”

Mina now says he enjoys school and wants to stay in education; “If you don’t finish school, the only place for you is the quarry, and many men die there.”

Mina was keen to go back to school, partly after he broke his arm in an accident at the quarry where his family had to pay two thirds of the medical costs. However, he says he was nervous: “Sometimes they won’t take boys back if they’ve missed too much, but Wadi el Nil arranged with the school for us to go back, and made sure we could catch up by providing special classes. I really enjoy it with my friends, about 10 of us, who all came from the quarries.”

16 year old Issa Khalef Hana works in the quarry part time and goes to school hoping that his opportunities will increase if he finishes his education. He also says the owner of the quarry where he works treats his workers a lot better than others as he “covers the electric cables and doesn’t fire you if you have to take some days off, or have an accident.”

As Egypt works to build a more positive future it is hoped that less children like Issa and Haytham will have to risk their lives working in quarries and more, like Mina, will be able to go to school. This is the generation that will want a better Egypt for themselves and their families so their children won’t be spending their childhoods in quarries – and Christian Aid and Ctrl.Alt.Shift will be behind them all the way.