ROUTE PORTERS IN GYUMRI
LRAGIR.AM
14:09:05 – 08/06/2009
In the latest period, work of minors and childish beginning is much
spread in Gyumri. The lack of social security and the lack of the job
posts create new phenomenon in this traditional city, one of which
is that children of school age work as porters for minibuses. Porter
of a minibus is an unknown profession for many people, but it is an
accepted and respected work in Gyumri.
Vova, who is the porter of the 12 minibus, tells that he opens and
closes the door, helps the old people and the children. Being the
only person to work in his family, Vova has not been attending the
school for already two years. Unlike him, another porter of the same
minibus, Kim tries to do both: classes and work. He stated that his
teachers know that he works, but they tell him to finish the school
and only then to work.
The minibus drivers stated that the salary of the porters depends on
how and how long they work. As they stated, there are cases when in
winter boys ask work for a piece of bread and a cup of hot tea. And
in summer, in order to help their parents, children, who attend the
school, start to work too.
Although the teenagers assure that their work is easy and pleasurable,
and their day is full of very interesting and funny stories, the fact
that children, who have to go to school, share the care for family
with their parents, is worrying.
The residents of Gyumri state that it is good to see how teenagers try
to help their parents, but it is sorrowful to see so many children,
who have to work, stating at the same time that all the children are
obliged to work. They are sure that the day will come Gyumri will again
be the city it used to be, with excellent handicraft institutions,
and the teenagers will not have to work for a piece of bread, but
they will long for education.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
