With the coronavirus outbreak, one of my dreams come true

Masoud is street working child.
Wednesday, June 10, 2020

Masoud is just 13-years-old, but he has been working since he was just six years old. “When my friends and I are working, most children are still asleep,” he explains. Until recently, he worked with his father in the freight yard in Guzara, and they would go early each morning before the first call to prayer, just as the sun was peeking over the horizon.

“If I’m late, others will carry the items and there will be no work left for me,” Masoud explains. “I have to be at the yard before the trucks arrive in order to get work.”

The work at the freight yard was hard, and Masoud had two things he wished for - being able to sleep in the morning and pursuing an education in order to become a doctor. Two years ago he started on his education when he was enrolled in a World Vision programme, helping street children through local enrichment centre. Masoud studies part time after work at school. Unexpectedly, the coronavirus pandemic has now helped his other wish come true.

“One early morning I went to work with my father. The roads were blocked by the police, but we used other ways to get there. The door of freight square was also closed, and we got hopeless and sad. We asked the people what is going on, and they said corona has come. I thought they were talking about Corolla [cars] and I didn’t understand - those cars are always on the roads, what is happening! I didn’t understand, but finally we came back thome. My father and I lost our jobs at the freight yard, but I achieved my dream of sleeping till six of the morning.”

Masoud is in the street working children enrichment center.

 

One day soon after he lost his job, Masoud went to the enrichment centre, but things were a bit different when he arrived. “As soon as I entered, I was given a mask and gloves. Instead of how we sat normally, now we sat in chairs placed far apart.” And then the teachers explained about the new virus that had let Masoud sleep in.

“We received an information sheet, and the teachers explained about the coronavirus and the hygiene practices we needed to fight with this virus.” Masoud also left the enrichment centre that day with a new mission. “The teachers asked us to pass these learnings onto others, and I’ve played my role,” Masoud added proudly.

Before, Masoud didn’t know what coronavirus was and believed his father when he told him it didn’t exist. But now, Masoud has been able to share his knowledge and help his father and friends stay safe from coronavirus. Although Masoud and other child labourers are some of the most vulnerable to being exposed to the virus, many don’t have access to TV and other media where awareness messages are typically shared. Armed with the knowledge from the enrichment centre, Masoud is now a #HiddenHero sharing information to stop the spread of the virus.

Masoud is still working, this time as a rubbish collector, but he’s hopeful his new awareness will help keep him safe as he works to support his family. And maybe one day, his other dream of graduating from school and becoming a doctor might still come true.

Masoud is a rubbish collector now.

 

Project Overview

Funded by WV Korea, the project ‘Street Working Children Enrichment Center’ intends to contribute to improving access to basic health, education and protection services for 7,000 street working children and their care givers in collaboration with community, government and other partners. Empowerment of children, families, community and government is the overarching principle of the Project so that community based systems could be strengthened to sustain the impact and continue the supportive mechanisms in the community. 

 

Learn more about and/or support World Vision’s global work to limit the spread of COVID-19 and support the children impacted by it on our COVID-19 Emergency Response Page.