Sincehewasayoungchild,Alberto*hasbeenworkingonlocalcornandcoffeefarmsinWesternElSalvadortohelphisfamilyearnasmallincome.Attheendofa4amto6pmworkday,threatenedbysnakes,ratsandunkindadults,atiredandhungryAlbertocomeshometohislargefamilyintheironeroomhousemadeofclayandwood.Albertosupportshisfamilyarmedwithabasket,amacheteandhisbarehandstopluckcoffeebeansfromtreesorbreakupland,plantandharvestcorn.Hesuffersfromrespiratorysickness;poornutritionandthecoolnessofearlymorninglabourcompromiseshishealth.Theworkisexhausting.ItcantakeAlbertodaystotravelthroughthecoffeeforeststoharvestthebeansrequiredfora100lbbagofcoffee.Hethencarriesthebagalone,all100lbs,toafarmer’sscalewherewillearnonly$8.00to$10.00forthiswork.Thesebeansarethensoldtotheprocessor,thebrokerandonthroughthesupplychainuntilitgetstous.Wewillpay$10.00ormoreforjustonepoundofthiscoffee.Albertoisproudofwhathecontributestohisfamily,anddreamsofonedaybecomingalawyer.Duringcornseason,heattendsschoolandAlberto’sworkethicisexcellent.Unfortunately,hisinconsistentabilitytostudythreatenstocompromisehisdream.Heisbehindinschoolandneedstheopportunitytocatchupinhisstudies.Heiscurrentlyingrade8whenheshouldbeingrade9andaccordingtotheschoolheattends,Albertoisonlyatagrade6levelincertainsubjects.Sadly,notonlyisAlbertoriskinghishealthtohelphisfamily,butheisalsoriskinghisfuturebynotbeingabletofocusproperlyonschool.Betterpricesforfarmerswillresultinbetterpayforadultsworkingonthefarms.Allowingadultsinthefamilydotheworkgiveschildrentheopportunitytogotoschoolregularlyevenwhilehelpingtheirparents.*Hisnamehasbeenchangedtoprotectisidentity.

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六年級:VictoriaMeng