Baucau, January 31, 2025 (Média Democracia) – Carmelinda Rosa da Costa, 25, is a young woman from Baucau with six siblings. Although her life is different from other people who still have parents to support their lives, she does not give up. She continues to try hard to be a parent to her younger siblings. As the eldest child, she had to make the decision to work to meet their daily needs and pay for her younger siblings’ school fees.
She said that she chose to work at a young age because both of her parents had passed away and left them all, as the eldest child she decided to earn a living to meet their daily needs and also the needs of her younger siblings.
“I chose to work at a young age because both of my parents have passed away and left six of us, I am the eldest daughter in my family even though I still have two brothers but I decided to earn a living to meet the needs of my family and the needs of my siblings.” She said
She continued that during this time she had been working while taking an English course because she felt that her salary of 120 USD was not enough to meet her needs, so she tried to divide her time to take an English course.
“I work but I also continue my English course, I have to divide my time for work and course because my monthly salary of 120 USD is not enough for a month and my work finishes at 22:00 and I have to walk home even though the distance is quite far.” She added
She emphasized that if she did not have money, she would borrow from other people to give to her younger siblings so they could go to school because she did not want her younger siblings to drop out of school because she wanted them to be successful.
To explain better that every month she receives a salary of 120 USD which she spends on their daily needs and the needs of her younger siblings because she wants her younger siblings to be successful because through their success she can feel happy and so can their parents even though their parents are no longer with them.
Reported by : Nelia
Image via WhatsApp message with Carmelinda