Stories about children’s days
Manali, 13 year old girl
About Manali’s life
Manali’s father is a rickshaw puller, and her mother works in a tannery. Her father earns up to 500 BDT (US $4.60) a day and has to give 100 BDT (US $0.9) to the rickshaw garage owner. Her father once owned a rickshaw, but it was stolen and he couldn’t afford to buy another one. Manali’s father’s other job is carrying dead bodies from one place to another in a van.
On 9 March 2023 a researcher accompanied Manali as she went about her day, capturing her journeys and experiences. It was typical of her days during Ramadan, when she is required to work 12-hour days. She began work at 9am and she was still working when our researcher left her. When it isn’t Ramadan, Manali finishes work at 6pm.
Almost every day Manali goes to her aunt’s house and on this particular day she also goes there during her lunch time and plays with her cousin.
Dead bodies being transported
When I hammer leather continuously with heavy tools, I get aches in my neck and my back, but if I rest for a while my supervisor scolds me
Manali’s pet parrot
Manali’s parents do not allow her to roam outside with friends. She is only permitted to visit cousins.
Manali feels unsafe on the roads in her neighbourhood. Boys harass her sometimes which makes her very uncomfortable. She also feels unsafe at home. She is fearful of going anywhere alone in her building and she has to take her mother everywhere she goes, even to the (shared) bathroom: When Manali’s father comes home from work he is often angry and beats her and her mother. Things are especially bad when her father is drunk. If she ever wants to go out somewhere, he beats her.
She shows the CLARISSA researcher a little parrot that she got to help with her loneliness.
There are a couple of things about Manali’s day to day life which this account does not capture. For example, sometimes she cooks for her family after coming from work when her mother is not able to. Occasionally, her friends come over and they go to the roof of her building, but this is rare.
“At night, when I have to use the washroom in our building, I wake up my mother and take her with me.”
Sewing leather
Manali at her workplace
At the factory Manali hammers leather continuously with heavy tools and her body aches constantly. When she tries to rest her supervisor tells her off.
Manali feels under huge pressure sometimes. During the festival season, she does not get any holidays and she works every day, even on a Friday. She receives only a one-hour break, even on 12-hour days.
Manali also expresses however that she feels safe at her workplace because her co-workers are very nice to her, and they care about her.
Working with heating machine
I am feeling very nauseous, and my head is spinning. I might vomit. My chest and eyes are burning. My skin turns black if latex comes into contact with it. As I have to apply it bending over, my hips and legs are hurting.
Manali’s day
Manali’s experience
I feel comfortable now as you are here. I didn’t have much sleep last night, so I am a little sleepy right now. As I watch TV and use my phone it always takes me a long time to go to sleep.
I don’t like to be alone. If I had someone else to spend time with then I think I would be less lonely. My parents don’t talk to me properly. They shout at me and beat me. I feel scared sometimes because of my father’s job carrying dead bodies. I feel like their souls will come along with my father and disturb us. I can’t go anywhere alone. In the daylight I can go to work alone but I don’t go anywhere at night alone. I always take my mother with me. If I have to go to the washroom at night, I wake up my mother and then she takes me to the washroom.
Researcher’s experience
Manali spends her time at home watching TV, or just sitting alone.
When I used the washroom, I found it small, with no windows or ventilation. Later, I learned that there used to be a hole in the washroom. Manali was traumatised by a boy peeking in while she was showering, leading to her parents beating him up and fixing the hole.
When I entered the room I heard a bird chirping. She showed me her small green pet bird in a cage, which she recently got to help her pass time since her father doesn’t allow her to leave home much. Her desire to have other siblings shows how lonely she is.
Manali’s experience
I like to walk on the road and get out of the house a little. Boys harass me sometimes which makes me very uncomfortable, but I like to go to places so although it is unsafe I have no other option. The road I use to go to work is safe because there is a mosque there.
Researcher’s experience
As we were walking towards Manali’s factory, her whole mood lightened up when she stepped out of the front gate.
Putting latex on leather
Manali’s experience
The moment I arrive at work I think about when I will leave.
The very first thing I do in the morning is apply latex to leather. I feel very nauseous, and my eyes burn while I do this.
I then do many different types of tasks given to me by the supervisor over the course of the day. Sometimes, I need to beat the leather with a hammer to make it flat. My hands hurt from cutting leather. Whenever I have chemicals on my hands I eat with a spoon or my mother feeds me.
Researcher’s experience
The work environment is unhygienic and dirty. The smell of latex is really disgusting. It makes you feel sick and nauseous but Manali perseveres. While she is applying latex paste the fan needs to be switched off so there is a much stronger smell than usual. Everyone is saying she should hurry up so that they can switch the fan on again.
Everyone seems to get on with each other. The supervisor monitors their work continuously.
The stairs in Manali’s building
Manali’s experience
My body can rest a bit as I have been working continuously. It feels so good to rest.
My mother will come home soon. I am waiting for her to eat with me.
Researcher’s experience
Manali seems relaxed at home. Her father is sleeping, and her mother is out. She offers me the Wi-Fi to use. She usually watches TV and has lunch with her mother.
Manali’s experience
Everyone is sleeping and my aunt is not home. I still feel good coming here to play with my baby cousin. I can roam around and relax a bit. I feel refreshed and energetic.
Researcher’s experience
Manali’s favourite place is her aunt’s home. She seems at her happiest here.
She tells me not to tell her mother about this visit as her mother might tell her off. The two families are currently on bad terms.
Manali also tells me not to tell her aunt that she works as her aunt does not like the idea of it. She is hurrying to get back to work. Despite having a great time here, she is anxious about getting told off by her aunt.
Cutting leather with scissors
Manali’s experience
My hand is hurting a lot, and I think I will get blisters. The shapes drawn on the leather are very small and that makes them difficult to cut out. The scissors are heavy. As I have been cutting and beating leather for a long time, my hands and my neck area are hurting a lot. I will have scars on my hands.
Sewing leather is easier for me than some of the other work. I can comfortably sit down and finish this work.
When hitting leather with a lanka (hammer), I struggle to lift it up. My hands and my neck are hurting more than ever. If the lanka hits my hand my hand turns blue.
There is a heating machine which is very hot and I need to hold it carefully or else I might burn myself. Once I hurt myself like this. I feel scared thinking that it might happen again.
When I use the washroom I feel uncomfortable because the factory has only a single washroom for both male and female staff.
Researcher’s experience
Manali is cutting very small pieces of leather. She must not accidently cut outside of the defined lines, and she is worried in case she gets told off. She has been cutting leather for a long time and I see that her hand has turned blue.
Later, Manali is sewing with a very thick needle. She is teaching one of her coworkers how to sew. I offer to assist but she warns me that I might hurt myself. She is very focused.
She has been sewing for one hour, which is a long time to do something that needs so much focus. She seems tired. Cutting with big scissors seems like easy work but by doing it myself I realise it is very difficult and I understand why Manali is continuously telling me how much her hand hurts.
Beating leather with a lanka (hammer) seems to be the most dangerous task that she undertakes. Manali hits the leather with a lot of strength and if she accidentally hit her hands with it, it would be very painful. This work seems very normal to her however. The lanka is very heavy and the smell of latex is overwhelming.
When Manali goes to the washroom it is the first time I see her leave her workstation. She explains that she doesn’t like using the washroom unless it is an emergency. Throughout the day, Manali only washes her hands once, visits the washroom once and drinks water once or twice. She avoids drinking water so that she doesn’t have to use the washroom and she also forgets to drink water while working under pressure.
Applying chemicals to leather
Manali’s experience
I am continuously making mistakes and have to redo everything because I have a bad headache and I cannot focus. I feel frustrated redoing the work repeatedly. They are telling me to be careful with the products but have the slightest concern if I hurt myself or not.
Researcher’s experience
Manali has been beating leather with a lanka (hammer) for a long time. It must be very tiring. Also, sitting for a long time putting her whole strength into her work seems very painful. She is becoming restless to leave.
Explore Manali’s journey
Rama, 17, supports her family by working as a beautician in the daytime and as a dancer in a dance bar at night.
Supriya, 16, works in a party palace (party venue) from 5pm until midnight.
Pema, 15, works in events catering in the afternoons and evenings, after going to college in the morning.
Khem, 17, has worked for a relative in a khaja ghar (small eatery) since he was ten years old.