Blind musician, Sorie Kondi, from Sierra Leone looks at what's happening…
Life 8 - Scent of the Streets
- Description
- Reviews
- Citation
- Cataloging
- Transcript
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Nigeria has had some success in getting more women into government and business. But what about at street level--in the crowded and often violent slums of the capital, Lagos? Every big city has gangs of young people on the margins; in Lagos, it's the 'Area Boys', gangs of youths who 'control' the neighborhood who know how to play rough and dirty to survive. So what's an 'Area Girl'? Is she tough and 'cool' too, or just a young woman without a job? With 10 brothers and sisters, Onyinye left school at the age of 12. Now she shoulders the responsibility for caring for her siblings by working on the street. But Onyinye wants a legitimate career--and dreams of becoming a catwalk model.
'[Scent of the Streets presents a harsh reality of how some young girls choose to live their lives and actually accept it as a survival mode with no alternative...The material is presented in an authentic way in the natural setting and contains a subtle message of the dangers of life on the streets--rape, beatings, and physical fights with competitors...The film can be used successfully in stimulating a discussion amongst the youth about the negative aspects of such a life as well as an exploration of alternatives.' Teboho Moja, Clinical Professor of Higher Education, New York University
'Part of the excellent Life series, namely Life on the Edge...The film gives us hope that the area is not necessarily the destiny of its denizens. Suitable for high school courses and college classes in introductory anthropology, anthropology of gender, anthropology of class/poverty, development anthropology, and African studies, as well as for general audiences.' Jack David Eller, Community College of Denver, Anthropology Review Database
Citation
Main credits
Vaughan-Richards, Remi (Director)
Vaughan-Richards, Remi (Film editor)
Uzuegbu, Chidiogo (Producer)
Fati, Bolaji (Producer)
Bradshaw, Steve (Narrator)
Other credits
Music, Nicogravity; director of photography, Yinka Edward; editor, Sotira Kyriacou.
Distributor subjects
African Studies; Anthropology; At-risk Youth; Developing World; Gender Studies; Geography; Global Issues; Labor and Work Issues; Millennium Development Goals; Poverty; Sociology; Urban Studies; Women's StudiesKeywords
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When we think of street kids, gangsters,
00:00:05.000 --> 00:00:09.999
outsiders, we probably think first of young men,
but there are just as many women whose talents
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and energies are often wasted, living on
the edge as we found in Lagos, Nigeria.
00:00:15.000 --> 00:00:20.000
[music]
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[music]
00:00:55.000 --> 00:00:59.999
Bisayo, Onyinye and Gift are area girls
00:01:00.000 --> 00:01:04.999
in Lagos Nigeria.
00:01:05.000 --> 00:01:09.999
[music]
00:01:10.000 --> 00:01:14.999
Area boys well they play rough and
dirty though some do make it good.
00:01:15.000 --> 00:01:19.999
But what is an area girl? Something
cool or just to girl without a job?
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And in a difficult world,
can they make it good too?
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There is evidence everywhere
if you know where to look.
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In the commercial capital
of the oil rich Nigeria,
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Ajegunle is one of the poorest
and toughest neighborhoods
00:01:45.000 --> 00:01:49.999
like many big city slums still struggling
to meet the Millennium Development Goals.
00:01:50.000 --> 00:01:54.999
Neighborhoods here are called areas
and some girls are called Area girls
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including Onyinye.
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My name is Onyinye. My friends have this
funny name, they call me, \"SHENKES\".
00:02:05.000 --> 00:02:09.999
Umm… I’m an area girl
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for now. And well, I’m not an area
girl because I choose to, that’s.
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An area girl, you can’t
actually classify into
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one… person, different ways.
You have some girls,
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the area girls, not because they do
anything, that because they are just rough
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and just rough and tough, they like trouble,
they like, you know, anything trouble.
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Anywhere there’s trouble, they like to
be there, they like the Bottle, Knife
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and the… they just love it. It’s not like
anything, we just love that kind of life.
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Onyinye lives the right side of the law
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but knows the streets slang runs
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or paid errands and meeting up.
And some people like me
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umm… it’s due to one of two things that, you know,
you go through you have to do some odd… odd things,
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you know, do one or two runs and
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that’s what is called actually to meet up.
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You have those out still, you know, to meet up, we have
those (inaudible) metals to meet up, it’s different.
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Family, you know, face it
alone, one definition.
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Onyinye left school at
12, no qualifications.
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What she does have, \"brothers and sisters.\"
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I have umm… 10 siblings
all together (inaudible)
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from the same mom, but from different dads.
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My growing up wasn’t nice, it wasn’t nice.
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We stayed with our step dad actually
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because my mom is married again. My mom has to carry
almost all the responsibilities alone, school fees,
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feeding, clothing and all that,
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so I’m growing up, and I can’t just be depending on my
mom for almost everything when I know she doesn’t have.
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Onyinye as we’ll see, has dreams.
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But right now, realities
are a little different.
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So, I (inaudible) or the other too, you know,
supporter because my younger ones are growing too.
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This area that I stay,
it’s… it’s kind of common,
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it’s almost what we do here.
We… we… you know, we date men.
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So it’s practically what I do, for now.
That’s what I do for now.
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My sisters,
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my family, they know about it, they
know everything about me actually.
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So it’s not like the (inaudible) but I have to
do it because I don’t want any of them to do it.
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So it’s like I have taken it upon myself,
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you know, to help because I won’t allow them,
you know, do what I do ‘cause if I can carry it
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I… maybe they can’t, maybe they are not
strong enough, you know, to live with it.
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I try as much as possible to satisfy
their basic needs, their needs,
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they wants their needs not what they want,
what they need, you know, I need this.
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Satisfying her family’s needs doesn’t make Onyinye
an area girl but it is what some area girls do.
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So is she an area girl?
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Her grateful siblings are undecided.
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Area girl sometimes stays
on the area (inaudible),
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kind of, you know, the environment
and maybe your… your background
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and mistakes and your parents kind of like
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It depends… …rough ones
(inaudible) the cool headed ones.
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She’s (inaudible), she’s
very intelligent, outspoken.
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I can’t call her an area
girl, an area, and somehow
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I know because she’s too
strong, very naughty,
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she’s very ambitious, she’s very
stubborn too. She talks about
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modeling, modeling, modeling (inaudible)
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It affects my life I think it
only affects my self esteem
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that’s why I’m looking for something I could,
you know, engage myself with that’s legits
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and responsible that I could
do, to help my family.
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Instead of relying on boyfriends
Onyinye wants to work.
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I’ve always wanted to model,
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I… I think I have talent to towards it and I can do it.
You know, I sometimes in my house we try to cat walk.
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[music]
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The streets round here
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part of cat walk too but a
different kind of cat walk.
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When you are your house, you can
be free and, you know, do whatever
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but when you are on the streets, you know, you have to give them
this mean impression like you’re scared ‘cause if you act like,
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you know, on… you act like warm botty,
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they’ll climb you. When I’m
outside, I don’t smile,
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I don’t talk to people like that. Except
those that are really, really close to me.
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And also keep this (inaudible) face, nobody can just
come talk to you and just go away. You have to keep
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this face, you have to be politely too (inaudible)
maybe if you are not familiar with someone,
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you try to play, you know, hard because the
other person will be playing hard too.
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You know, so it’s almost
the way we do around here.
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I head out to the coffee, where
I do most of my research,
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you know, (inaudible)
don’t go for this place.
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Onyinye’s off to the
neighborhood cyber cafe.
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Some are looking for jobs, some
are looking for the training
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and self help courses that
are run off around here.
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Onyinye is looking for a modeling agency.
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I search for modeling agencies, search and
send emails so they reply my email, then I go.
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And if I get the phone numbers, I call.
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This is where hung out at night. And it’s
kind of very quite ‘cause it’s morning,
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I know most people don’t
call in the morning.
00:08:45.000 --> 00:08:50.000
Umm… You know, Wednesday nights,
this people be coming out.
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Some judge, but for area
girls choices are limited.
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In the day time, day time, nothing
happens, most people wouldn’t do anything,
00:09:10.000 --> 00:09:14.999
maybe they’ll sleep or watch TV or
just sit in the house doing nothing.
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But around here in the evening,
always it’s very rowdy,
00:09:20.000 --> 00:09:24.999
people around are like, life like
partying all this kind of stuff.
00:09:25.000 --> 00:09:33.000
[music]
00:09:50.000 --> 00:09:54.999
(inaudible) sets the tone
for area girls, area boys.
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The area boys, they come out in the
evenings, that’s when they come out,
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that’s when they pick their pockets, that’s when they have the chance to
do whatsoever because you can’t pick pockets and just (inaudible) it.
00:10:05.000 --> 00:10:09.999
And in the evening, they have the chance
to, you know, smoke the (inaudible),
00:10:10.000 --> 00:10:14.999
you know, without attention.
If you’re nice to them,
00:10:15.000 --> 00:10:19.999
you are free with them. They can be nice with
you. If you’re, let me use the word lawyer,
00:10:20.000 --> 00:10:24.999
if you’re a lawyer, you may see them, you greet them
well, if they need something, you do it for them,
00:10:25.000 --> 00:10:29.999
you know, just was, you know, getting along with them, they treat you well.
But if you’re not careful, if you get into the wrong hands, they’ll beat you.
00:10:30.000 --> 00:10:34.999
They’ll beat you very well.
00:10:35.000 --> 00:10:39.999
We are always there for them as they as
they can come close and they convince you,
00:10:40.000 --> 00:10:45.000
we’re fine, we’ll do for them.
00:10:50.000 --> 00:10:54.999
[non-English narration]
00:10:55.000 --> 00:10:59.999
So all area girls are under
the sway of area boys,
00:11:00.000 --> 00:11:04.999
well, not quite. Meet Bisayo,
an area girl who’s graduated,
00:11:05.000 --> 00:11:09.999
not come (inaudible), not to be a CEO,
00:11:10.000 --> 00:11:14.999
this natural born leaders become.
Onyinye’s area mother.
00:11:15.000 --> 00:11:19.999
We have an area mother. Definitely an area
mother has to be somebody that, you know,.
00:11:20.000 --> 00:11:24.999
I like that very strong who have
the experience on people around.
00:11:25.000 --> 00:11:29.999
You don’t have to step on somebody’s toes if I get into trouble, somebody
can just see you and pick trouble with you and then they were looking for
00:11:30.000 --> 00:11:34.999
how to get to you. So, when I found
myself in such, you know, situations
00:11:35.000 --> 00:11:39.999
I was like looking, let me get closer to the this person,
let me get closer to her, maybe she needs errands,
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I run errands for her and with her.
You know, this kind of stuff
00:11:45.000 --> 00:11:49.999
so whenever I find myself in such… I
call her then she settles it for me.
00:11:50.000 --> 00:11:54.999
Protection, she’ll stand in front of you.
00:11:55.000 --> 00:11:59.999
Bisayo will settle arguments, win games could have
been a diplomat. Instead, she’s an area mother.
00:12:00.000 --> 00:12:04.999
Bisayo When you be area mama for
your house or for your (inaudible),
00:12:05.000 --> 00:12:10.000
people go respects you. And
they’re gonna respect…
00:12:25.000 --> 00:12:29.999
Best… best. What marks Bisayo (inaudible)
here. She says, she’s literally graduated.
00:12:30.000 --> 00:12:34.999
I study history international
relation, a diplomat.
00:12:35.000 --> 00:12:39.999
Fine, I come from a (inaudible).
So my parents assisted me
00:12:40.000 --> 00:12:44.999
to this school for the fact
that I just want to be
00:12:45.000 --> 00:12:53.000
an area girl, I see myself as this time in my area. Do you feel me?
I protect my territory, maybe here I should see any outsiders.
00:13:45.000 --> 00:13:53.000
[sil.]
00:13:55.000 --> 00:13:59.999
You might meet some people
who are hotter than you do,
00:14:00.000 --> 00:14:04.999
they might combat you and overcome you,
00:14:05.000 --> 00:14:10.000
maybe you are not strong maybe kind of
boys you think you are hope you know that.
00:14:15.000 --> 00:14:19.999
When then the cops come
to us, arrest us all,
00:14:20.000 --> 00:14:24.999
they are gonna to… she
is the one that is gonna
00:14:25.000 --> 00:14:29.999
to protect us, came to the cell to be lost and
everything . She does all the protecting me.
00:14:30.000 --> 00:14:34.999
Around here work is often
what happens at night.
00:14:35.000 --> 00:14:39.999
Daytime, for area mother and friends,
well, there’s always games of chance.
00:14:40.000 --> 00:14:44.999
I love playing \"Ludo\" because it gives
me more life. Whenever have problem.
00:14:45.000 --> 00:14:49.999
When I’m, when I’m thinking I
use Ludo to stop thinking.
00:14:50.000 --> 00:14:54.999
Sometimes we do bet with
money when we need to bet.
00:14:55.000 --> 00:14:59.999
I don’t need to bet right now
because my boy is broke.
00:15:00.000 --> 00:15:04.999
If not Ludo, there is lotto, the lottery.
00:15:05.000 --> 00:15:09.999
Let me take you to where I play my Ludo. It can be a
last resort for many who can’t find a full time job.
00:15:10.000 --> 00:15:14.999
When I (inaudible) I sat for
a job, I couldn’t get one.
00:15:15.000 --> 00:15:19.999
So I play Ludo to meet my daily needs.
I win, I don’t win is okay by me.
00:15:20.000 --> 00:15:24.999
This guy play \"baba ijebu\" lotto.
00:15:25.000 --> 00:15:29.999
So guy, play me 22-14
which is my (inaudible).
00:15:30.000 --> 00:15:34.999
When play you a (inaudible)
you found five kids
00:15:35.000 --> 00:15:39.999
you play with 10, 10
naira, you realize 7,500
00:15:40.000 --> 00:15:44.999
you can just imagine what that can or realize in
an office within a month. I can only get it here.
00:15:45.000 --> 00:15:49.999
Oh, this is the right place
for me to cool money.
00:15:50.000 --> 00:15:54.999
I dominate my daily
(inaudible), I calm things,
00:15:55.000 --> 00:15:59.999
and I make things happen in terms
of social life, I’m always there.
00:16:00.000 --> 00:16:04.999
Bisayo is the leader,
00:16:05.000 --> 00:16:09.999
the kind you might want in the boardroom, today
she’s greeted as a hero in the medicinal bar.
00:16:10.000 --> 00:16:14.999
Yeah, man. Ah, well, this is
where I make my happy day.
00:16:15.000 --> 00:16:19.999
This is my \"shepe joint.\"
And these are my guys.
00:16:20.000 --> 00:16:24.999
This why where I enjoy my life.
00:16:25.000 --> 00:16:29.999
All my life shepe.
00:16:30.000 --> 00:16:34.999
And this is…
00:16:35.000 --> 00:16:39.999
[non-English narration]
00:16:40.000 --> 00:16:44.999
Everyone is welcome, you get everything
00:16:45.000 --> 00:16:49.999
Even palm-wine for life. Yeah, this one
00:16:50.000 --> 00:16:54.999
for malaria. If you take this one
00:16:55.000 --> 00:16:59.999
you will never see. This one you know.
00:17:00.000 --> 00:17:04.999
This is for diarrhoea.
00:17:05.000 --> 00:17:09.999
If you have a problem you should talk. You see
this one, they call it washdown, washdown.
00:17:10.000 --> 00:17:14.999
Take this one and you’ll be alright.
00:17:15.000 --> 00:17:19.999
[non-English narration]
00:17:20.000 --> 00:17:24.999
Give there… give there two, two shots.
00:17:25.000 --> 00:17:33.000
There shouts to mama.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:17:35.000 --> 00:17:39.999
Everything goes on my fingertip.
00:17:40.000 --> 00:17:44.999
Because if I tell them to do
something, they’ll do it. So with that
00:17:45.000 --> 00:17:49.999
I believe I’ll be respected in this
society and I can become a leader
00:17:50.000 --> 00:17:54.999
in the future. My destiny
is to help the society.
00:17:55.000 --> 00:17:59.999
Bisayo is an area girl who’s
risen to area mother,
00:18:00.000 --> 00:18:05.000
but this is a neighborhood with
girls of many talents and values.
00:18:10.000 --> 00:18:14.999
So can a hard working girl with no more
modest ambitions been an area girl too.
00:18:15.000 --> 00:18:19.999
[music]
00:18:20.000 --> 00:18:24.999
Gift only went to primary school
00:18:25.000 --> 00:18:29.999
today she’s buying you ingredients for the Acara
or bean cake she sells. Work worth having.
00:18:30.000 --> 00:18:34.999
My name is Gift, in this
area I am an area girl
00:18:35.000 --> 00:18:39.999
but I don’t care what people think.
I don’t get involved with others.
00:18:40.000 --> 00:18:44.999
From my understanding what makes
me an area girl is the way I live.
00:18:45.000 --> 00:18:49.999
I don’t have time for trouble but if you want
to find my trouble, I’ll give it to you.
00:18:50.000 --> 00:18:54.999
And I’m gentle around here, but I’m not like that’s on the other
side if you don’t look for my trouble ‘cause I’ll give it back.
00:18:55.000 --> 00:18:59.999
What makes me happy and if they
stop, someone would recognize me.
00:19:00.000 --> 00:19:04.999
So it helps. Sometimes it doesn’t
help because of the area you go to.
00:19:05.000 --> 00:19:09.999
If you’re not strong don’t be an area girl
00:19:10.000 --> 00:19:14.999
because it can lead to death. A crowd could gather
can gather say you offend can cause trouble
00:19:15.000 --> 00:19:19.999
ask Mama you want to help. There
to live your friend that people
00:19:20.000 --> 00:19:24.999
because they see our struggle.
They could wound you or kill you.
00:19:25.000 --> 00:19:29.999
So this kind of life I
would like to change.
00:19:30.000 --> 00:19:34.999
Even a trip to the market may not be safe
00:19:35.000 --> 00:19:39.999
the truth is you have to be
an area girl to survive.
00:19:40.000 --> 00:19:44.999
I’ve seen plenty of boundary around my kids
00:19:45.000 --> 00:19:49.999
and if he kicks off I don’t
like to stand around and watch
00:19:50.000 --> 00:19:54.999
if you ex was going on they could stab you.
I don’t need those kind of things again.
00:19:55.000 --> 00:19:59.999
It doesn’t come my way and I avoid it.
00:20:00.000 --> 00:20:04.999
[music]
00:20:05.000 --> 00:20:09.999
Gift’s got attitude that’s not
an option but she’s also doing
00:20:10.000 --> 00:20:14.999
a long hard day’s work. I’m
giving this to my mom.
00:20:15.000 --> 00:20:19.999
I’m just back form the market
00:20:20.000 --> 00:20:24.999
with the things I want to cook.
00:20:25.000 --> 00:20:29.999
I’m the one that brings in the money for the family. I help
my family, I used to hock walking around selling stuff
00:20:30.000 --> 00:20:34.999
but I don’t want to meet boys because they’ll
say, \"come sleep with me.\" I don’t need that,
00:20:35.000 --> 00:20:39.999
and if you don’t do what they say,
sometimes, I’ll go to the market
00:20:40.000 --> 00:20:44.999
that for. (inaudible) come back after 8:00. They’ll
(inaudible) rape case, all those kind of things,
00:20:45.000 --> 00:20:49.999
that’s why I stopped talking. I
found a place to save my Akara(ph).
00:20:50.000 --> 00:20:54.999
This area girl is working a 16 hour day
00:20:55.000 --> 00:20:59.999
to help make money for her family
and she’s running her family too.
00:21:00.000 --> 00:21:04.999
I go to the market, buy
everything, come back
00:21:05.000 --> 00:21:09.999
and cook my food. I go out anywhere (inaudible).
My sister (inaudible) everything to the shop.
00:21:10.000 --> 00:21:14.999
I need them, they’ll start to do my
business. My sisters work with me
00:21:15.000 --> 00:21:19.999
and my mother help sometimes. Blessy,
00:21:20.000 --> 00:21:24.999
what are you doing? Come on, get
inside your room. You’re acting up,
00:21:25.000 --> 00:21:29.999
fast. Go behind me, hurry up!
00:21:30.000 --> 00:21:34.999
Those are my two sisters. This big one is
the last one and the other one is second
00:21:35.000 --> 00:21:39.999
to last. They’re too stubborn, that’s
why shout at them, they don’t listen.
00:21:40.000 --> 00:21:48.000
[music]
00:21:55.000 --> 00:21:59.999
Okay. I finished the work around 5:00.
I’ll come here at around 8:00,
00:22:00.000 --> 00:22:04.999
finished by 12:00, 01:00, 02:00 am.
00:22:05.000 --> 00:22:13.000
[music]
00:22:25.000 --> 00:22:29.999
You believe me, it’s noisy. Gift’s moved
00:22:30.000 --> 00:22:34.999
from selling goods from literally the
top of the head to the street corner.
00:22:35.000 --> 00:22:39.999
Now she wants to move on to the
next stage, her own store.
00:22:40.000 --> 00:22:48.000
Work (inaudible) motivator, finding a
boyfriend, an area boy with a difference.
00:22:55.000 --> 00:22:59.999
I go to find boy friend. (inaudible) of an area boy, I met him when
I was talking. And then it’s my man’s house. Come on, guys, fallin.
00:23:00.000 --> 00:23:04.999
I was talking, so boys surrounded me, they said, I always
ignore them when they called me. They wanted to beat me,
00:23:05.000 --> 00:23:09.999
I don’t know where you came from
or if you knew me, I don’t know.
00:23:10.000 --> 00:23:14.999
That’s how I met him, he helped me. That’s
how we got together. He’s my husband.
00:23:15.000 --> 00:23:23.000
[music]
00:23:30.000 --> 00:23:34.999
People might see her as an area girl but because she’s
my girlfriend, I wouldn’t call her an area girl.
00:23:35.000 --> 00:23:39.999
She can call herself that but I
won’t agree. I always say no.
00:23:40.000 --> 00:23:44.999
Area girls are not on the same level as area Boys.
That’s just the fact. We take ourselves as the guys
00:23:45.000 --> 00:23:49.999
when judge of everything, they
need help we assist them.
00:23:50.000 --> 00:23:54.999
Area boy is not good at all.
00:23:55.000 --> 00:23:59.999
But by God’s grace, I try to leave that past
life because I know that life favours me.
00:24:00.000 --> 00:24:04.999
That’s what I believe. What I do now is
I play football to try to help myself,
00:24:05.000 --> 00:24:09.999
maybe I will get one or two things from that
because the style of life we live is not good.
00:24:10.000 --> 00:24:14.999
Snatching someone’s bags.
00:24:15.000 --> 00:24:19.999
Doing all sorts of rubbish,
you know, they rape girls,
00:24:20.000 --> 00:24:24.999
they steal. I’ve got a conscience,
everyone knows this is a bad thing,
00:24:25.000 --> 00:24:29.999
but we can’t help ourselves
because that’s how we survive.
00:24:30.000 --> 00:24:34.999
So we do it, sometimes to help
ourselves, that’s just it.
00:24:35.000 --> 00:24:39.999
If I get the opportunity, I’ll use
00:24:40.000 --> 00:24:44.999
I learned form hockey. I go to the
markets where our both teams to hock.
00:24:45.000 --> 00:24:49.999
(inaudible). It depends on the area where you serve. If you see my
area here, the market doesn’t move like the place where I (inaudible).
00:24:50.000 --> 00:24:54.999
There’s nothing you can serve there.
I can’t be an area girl forever.
00:24:55.000 --> 00:24:59.999
If I see a chance, I will change,
just leave all those things.
00:25:00.000 --> 00:25:04.999
[music]
00:25:05.000 --> 00:25:09.999
It’s true area girls are
what some girls choose to be
00:25:10.000 --> 00:25:14.999
but most don’t want to remain forever.
00:25:15.000 --> 00:25:19.999
All area girls stay the right
side of the law, some don’t.
00:25:20.000 --> 00:25:24.999
All have the talent and
appetite for decent day’s work,
00:25:25.000 --> 00:25:29.999
one of the millennium development
goals which remains elusive.
00:25:30.000 --> 00:25:34.999
But, of course, paid work could
mean being an area girl no longer.
00:25:35.000 --> 00:25:39.999
The only thing you should know is that,
00:25:40.000 --> 00:25:44.999
it’s not funny, it’s not nice at all. Most
of us go through a lot of things in here
00:25:45.000 --> 00:25:49.999
that we are not part of. So if we’re given the
chance, the opportunity to change too, we’ll change.
00:25:50.000 --> 00:25:55.000
[music]
Distributor: Bullfrog Films
Length: 27 minutes
Date: 2011
Genre: Expository
Language: English
Grade: 10-12, College, Adult
Color/BW:
Closed Captioning: Available
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