MATERIAL FOR ON LINE GUIDE N 1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiTbsuxPrGw

READING 1
YOUNG ACHIEVERS
For millions of teenagers, responsibilities begin early.

The carer
A carer looks after an elderly or sick person at home, often a relative. We do not know how
many teenage carers there are worldwide, but there are over 180,000 in Australia alone.

Spotlight on:
Libby, 13, Australia
Mums illness started getting worse a few years ago (she has got multiple sclerosis), and now
she needs my help.
Dad died when I was young, and I am the oldest child, so I do most of the housework. I make
the breakfast; do jobs around the home, that sort of staff. I have got four younger sisters, so I
am always busy! The oldest child always does more work, I think.

The mum
Every year, more than 13 million teenage girls have a child.

Spotlight on:
Rosemeri, 16, Brazil
Life is certainly easier without kids. Now I have become a mum, I look after Angela, pay the
bills, do the shopping and other adult things- I dont have a lot of time for myself. Sometimes I
feel jealous of my friends. Going to the beach is much more fun than staying at home with a
baby! But I wouldnt change places for anything. Seeing Angela grow up is amazing. Its hard,
but becoming a mum is the best thing I have ever done.
The worker
About 158 million under 14-year-olds work. In Latin America, about 16% of children work. The
figure is about 22% in Asia and 41% in Africa.

Spotlight on:
Ciro, 12, Bolivia
I have always worked when I was little, I did the gardening at home and grew vegetables. Now I
am older, I work for much longer hours, sometimes ten or more a day. I work with my father and
brothers in the fields. I am the youngest worker, but I am faster than my dad! Younger workers
are quicker; I think I left school early. Sometimes I miss it. Having a job is a lot more difficult
than studying. But I want to help my family.

READING 2
The children of Gaza
For the children of Gaza Strip, getting an education isnt easy. There are 640 schools for nearly million
students, and schools have two shifts a day some children have classes in the evenings. School
buildings and surrounding roads are often closed, and going to school can be impossible for long periods.

However, a good education still comes first in most Gazan parents ambitions for their children, and
among 15-24-year-olds literacy is 98.2%, higher than in America.

The children really want to learn, and they are tough here, said one teacher. Teachers persuade young
people to come to school rather than get involved in the protests and fighting. We try to explain that

there are other ways to fight for our rights, through our words, and through learning and teaching others
about whats happening, by helping each other.

The young people of Gaza cant go abroad, and they need to feel that the world can hear their voices. In
2010, with The Gaza Mono-Logues project of ASHTAR Theatre, children in Gaza had the opportunity to
record their experiences of life. On October 17th, they read their monologues aloud on the sea shore, and
then sent them on paper boats across the sea. Later that day, 1000 young people presented the monologues
in 50 cities across the world.