Rova: “If I succeed in life, I will support my mother and get her out of poverty.”

Rova is the third born of four siblings. She lives with her mother and siblings under the care of her uncle after her father passed away when she was still young. The family lives in a one-room house made of soil with a separate small kitchen. They have a common playground with other children in the community but no latrine.

Rova joined school in 2016 when she was 4 years old. However, when she turned 8 years old, she would miss school to go to the mica mines with her uncle. She would wake up at 6am, wash her face, clean dishes, and either go to school or go to work in the mica mines. At the mines, Rova played with other children as her family collected mica. It was through the mica mining business, earning 1.06 Euro per day, that Rova´s mother provided her with 3 meals a day, but Rova was still at risk of joining the business herself in order to contribute to the family’s income. "Life was hard and I didn’t always go to school," Rova explained.

In Madagascar, Poverty is a major issue that pushes children into child labour. Poor families rarely have enough income to meet their basic needs. As a result, children have to contribute to the income, missing out on the opportunity of enjoying a normal childhood.

On a normal day, Rova wakes up at 6:00am, washes her face, cleans dishes and prepares for school. Her mother is always there for her to ensure she leaves at 8:00 am to go to school. Rova does not go to the mines anymore. She enjoys going to school every day and loves playing football with her peers during her free time. “I’ll focus on my studies,” she says. Rova and her mother now understand children’s rights and responsibilities. She is closely monitored by the FAFAFI social worker to ensure that she attends school and that her rights as a child are upheld.