Posted on behalf of Erin FitzgeraldEver wonder where your bananas are grown?
Find out more beginning Tuesday, February 5, on Children International’s website, where we’ll feature a short video about Ciro, a sponsorship graduate who is working on a banana farm to help support his family.
Like most people, I never gave a second thought about the origin of my bananas. But in May, I had the opportunity to travel to the Dominican Republic to meet some of the families in our sponsorship program. I had the privilege of visiting Ciro, who sadly dropped out of school early to help support his family. Fortunately, a generous donation from his sponsor is now allowing him to continue his education.
We visited Ciro on the job at a banana farm to watch him in action. Working quickly and methodically, he boxed up bananas and prepared them to be exported so people like you and me can enjoy them.
And if you’re anything like me, the monotony of boxing up fruit might just drive you…bananas. (Sorry, I couldn’t resist!)
But poor families are just grateful to have any type of employment that brings in money. They work in labor-intensive jobs, doing whatever it takes to keep their families afloat.
Next time you peel open a banana, think of the hard-working folks who cut them down and boxed them up so you could enjoy a delicious snack. And in the meantime, check out the video of Ciro, called “Children at Work” starting Tuesday, February 5. Feel free to come back and post your comments.
Erin is a staff writer for Children International. Her video about Ciro will be posted on our website, www.children.org, on Tuesday. Don't miss it!
Photo by Jennifer Spaw
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