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Bolivian Mine Escape
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It is not unusual to see a father and his young son working together within the mines of Bolivia. Bits of silver and tin taken from the mountains offer barely enough profits to survive. It is not a life fathers want for their children. And as one boy explains, he dreams of leaving his family’s legacy of poverty behind. Reed Galin reports. (Español) |
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SCRIPT:
(Locator: Potosi, Bolivia)
Maximo and Marco Campo – father and son – work side by side in a Bolivian mine, scratching out a living within these fragile walls.
Translator: “Marco is checking the vein and says that this is dangerous.”
Marco is 16. This is a life that Maximo does not want for his son – or any of his children.
Maximo Campo/Bolivian Miner: “My main purpose is to not have miners in my family. I don’t want my boys, any one of them, to work in the mine.”
With five brothers and sisters, Marco has no choice but to work the mines. But he has dreams.
Marco Campo: “I will try to change my life, perhaps save money, work very hard and try to get into the university.”
Teacher to class: “What is that?”
After his work in the tunnel, Marco goes to school.
Class recites: “That is a door.”
Marco is pinning his hopes on an education…and, the support of his Methodist church. Father and son help build this sanctuary because it is a newfound faith that offers Maximo’s family optimism.
Maximo Campo/Bolivian miner: “Many people were lost due to alcoholism, and since we found the word of God, we’ve changed our lives.”
Miners have hard lives. Young Marco is already showing signs of the same lung disease that could completely disable his father in another year.
Translator: “They are going to make an explosion in five minutes.”
More than anything, Marco wants to help dig his family out of poverty…and it is that same wish that this father has for his son.
TAG:
Bolivia is one of the poorest countries in South America. Maximo makes less that 50 dollars a month, and it is not enough for his family to survive.