Kayayo

33 minutes • 2016 • 7.5

In the capital of Ghana, over 10,000 girls, aged 6 and up, work as living shopping carts - called kayayo. The girls are sent from the north of Ghana, to the far south, to work in the markets there so that they can support the family and so that the brothers can go to school. The girls carry barrels on their heads so that the richer ladies who shop in the market can put their heavy goods in. (The youngest girls carry bags of 60 kg, and the older girls over 100 kg) The girls earn only a few cents each time they carry, they are often abused, stolen from and many have to prostitute themselves to earn enough money.

In this documentary, we follow 8-year-old Bamunu who has worked in the markets since she was 6 years old and who has not seen the family since she was sent away from home two years ago. We follow her through the hard everyday life at the market and her longing to come home. When she finally gets the long-awaited message that she is allowed to go home, we follow her on the journey home and what awaits there.