Most Dangerous Ways To School | ETHIOPIA | Free Documentary
When the schoolchildren wake up to the first rays of sunshine, the temperature is already over 30 degrees Celsius. They live in the Danakil desert in northeast Ethiopia, near an active volcano, in a region that is the world’s hottest on average. Amongst these children are 6-year-old Looita and his sister Khadiga.
Their route to school, which is many kilometers long, takes these children of the Afar tribe over jagged earth, over seemingly endless lengths, and every day they are confronted with much more than just the astounding heat. Not one shadow offers coolness; water is a rare and expensive commodity. Even if a breath of wind blows through the desert it most often quickly evolves into a sandstorm, the grains of which temporarily blind the children and whip at their skin. The very young schoolchildren deal with this until they finally reach their destination: school. But it isn't over yet. There is still plenty of danger to come.
Narrator:
We all know it, walked it every day, but none of them were like these. The world’s most dangerous ways to school. Freezing, climbing for hours, bailing nonstop all for the chance of a better life. Spectacular and sometimes simply beautiful, the world’s most dangerous ways to school. The Danakil Desert in Northeastern Ethiopia, one of the hottest and most hostile regions of the world, with daytime temperatures of 50 degrees Celsius and the ground heating up to a smoldering 70 degrees. The Etta Ale volcano towers over the entire region. The people that live here are the warlike Afar. The Afar are semi-nomadic and have adapted themselves over the centuries to the barren landscape. Their greatest wealth is their livestock.
The Danakil Desert has been repeatedly the hottest region in the world. Its average annual temperature, 34 degrees Celsius. The only escape from the desert, an education. That why the children walk in the merciless heat through seemingly endless landscapes. Their destination, school. The way there, a daily battle against heat, thirst, and sandstorms. On the way back, the children must cope with the greatest heat of the day, nothing to offer them shade on what is probably the hottest way to school in the world.
Six o’clock in the morning, 150 kilometers from the nearest major city, the sun rises in Northeastern Ethiopia over the Danakil Desert.
In the small village of Abdel ale, 50 families live in simple tent cabins. They are well adapted to the environment. Since the temperatures at night almost never drop below 25 degrees Celsius, people sleep outside, letting the suns first rays wake them. The same is true for the 11-year-old student Hamed who,
like every morning, tries to delay getting up for as long as possible. And like every morning, Hamed first gets breakfast for himself and his siblings, fresh milk. The animals ensure the livelihood of the Afar. Therefore, children learn to care for them from a very early age. Translator: Everyone has to care for the animals. We all do, our mothers, our fathers, our grandparents. Animals are very important because they give us food and drink and we can sell them. But I also enjoy going to school because I want to learn something.
Narrator: In Ethiopia:
Almost two thirds of adults are illiterate. The school is a privilege, especially in remote areas, and mostly only for the boys. Hamed’s sister, Asia, is not so fortunate. Translator: Because my brother goes to school, I have to take care of the animals, but that fine with me.
Narrator:
Young girls in Ethiopia are accustomed to staying at home. Most of them are married off very young.
While his sister strolls across the pastures with the animals, Hamed prepares his school supplies. Hamid has six younger siblings. He is the only one to go to school, which is a good two-hour walk away. Hamed’s mother, Aysha, churns the leftover milk from the previous day into butter. Translator: It is good and important that he goes to school and learns so that he can later take care of himself. Once he finishes his education, he can get a good job and can then maybe also help us.
Narrator:
Hamid’s way to school sends him straight across the desert. Even now, it is over 30 degrees. There is no water to be found anywhere. All the more reason for him to drink a lot now before he starts. His mother, Aysha, is aware of the dangers that lie on Hamid’s way to school, the intense heat, the long distance, and a deserted desert.
But she also knows there is no alternative. At least Hamed is usually not alone on his journey. In the village of Abdel ale, almost 500 people live in similar simple huts scattered around four square kilometers of volcanic rock. At the other end of the village, a friend joins Hamed, 14-year-old Mohammed. Translator: Hello, how are you?
Narrator:
Mohammed’s father, Us man, works in the salt mine in Afdera 50 kilometers away in order to help feed his family. Mohammed also works several days a month there with him. Translator: Today, after school,
Mohammed will assist me in the salt mine. This has its advantages and disadvantages. Although we make more money when he helps me, and this we certainly need, I also know that his schoolwork suffers due to it. I would prefer for him to go to school and learn.
Narrator:
Hamid and Mohammed depart. The two-hour journey to school awaits them, all on foot in the heat of the Danakil Desert. As inhospitable and hostile as the region is, the people of the Afar have adapted themselves to it. In the next village, 10 kilometers away, hidden between the bushes of the dunes, lies another home. The nine-year-old Khadija is also already awake. As she does every morning before going to school, Khadija fetches water from the well for her family. Fetching water or collecting firewood are typical jobs for an Afar girl. Khadija is one of only a few girls who can go to school. She is lucky that her father is very open minded.
He wants his children to learn to read and write. Many Affairs don’t sent their children to school at all
or only when they are much older. Translator: I like the work. We girls simply have to fetch water for our families. Narrator: At home, her father, Sahid, and her brother, Lolita are already waiting for Khadija. Despite all his open mindedness, Sahid places great importance in traditions. Fetching water, collecting firewood, and running the household, that is woman’s work.
Translator:
Look, Khadija’s back and she’s brought water.
Thank you, Khadija.
Narrator:
The Afar are Muslim. Today is a very special day for the six-year-old Lolita. First, he must go to school.
Later, following old Muslim tradition, he will become a man. Translator: Today, we celebrate Loiters circumcision. This is a very important event for Muslims and I’m really looking forward to it. Translator: I’m also very happy. All the boys are circumcised.
Narrator:
Although Khadija is only nine years old, she is not only responsible for herself but also for her little brother on their dangerous journey. Every day, both of them walk 45 minutes each way in temperatures of up to 50 degrees Celsius. For their father, Sahid, it is difficult to let his children go each and every time.
Translator:
We have many things to fear when we send them on their way to school. First of all, naturally, because of the heat, they could pass out and remain lying in the sand somewhere. And then there are the sudden sandstorms which have caused many children to lose their way.
Narrator:
Back to Hamed and Mohammed. It’s just after seven o’clock. Even now, the sun beats down from the sky. There are still eight kilometers left to reach the school, and the two are completely on their own. There is no one other than themselves far and wide, no water and no shade.
Translator:
Well, we are accustomed to walking in the heat.
Translator: For you, it might be easier. You’re already bigger. But I think it’s terrible.
Narrator: Mohammed tries to distract the little Hamid, but they both know only too well that children often collapse in this great heat. Finally, Khadija and Lolita reach the riverbed. Now that the riverbed is dry, it poses no threat, but once or twice a year when it rains a lotm in the mountains 100 kilometers away, water flows through it.
It transforms the dry riverbed into a raging impassable river. Moreover, the water attracts jackals.
Usually, it only takes a few days until the riverbed is dry again. However, the ground remains cooler here. Lolita lingers a bit on the muddy ground, but there is no time for that now. Khadija wants to arrive at school on time. It is particularly difficult to walk here because our feet sink in the mud. Lolita has enough problems as it is keeping up. Narrator: Khadija knows that she must be considerate of her little brother.
However, she also knows when he’s being stubborn. Sometimes Lolita would rather stay with the animals than go to school. Then Khadija simply ignores him and picks up the pace. Hamed and Mohammed’s way to school leads them 15 kilometers through the Danakil Desert. They walk two hours every day to school because they want to learn in spite of all the dangers.
Translator: One time, a friend of mine simply collapsed on the way to school. His parents then sent him away to relatives in the city. Now he no longer needs to walk that far to go to school.
Narrator:
But not all parents can or want to send their children to the city. Ethiopia is one of the poorest countries in the world. One in three people live below the poverty line. The life of the Affairs is simple. Their only wealth is their animals, especially the camels. Nine-year-old Khadija dreams of a better future. She would love to get out of here. The heat, the sand, the long distances, life in this remote area is hard. Around the same time, Hamid and Mohammed reach a spot that looks rather harmless at first glance, the green lands.
These ankle-high plants bloom a few weeks a year. When the rain in the highlands trickles down to the Danakil Depression, it produces this phenomenon. For the school kids, it is a cause for concern.
Translator: I don’t like walking over the green undergrowth. We can’t see what is hidden there. Sometimes there are snakes or scorpions.
Translator: I was already stung by a scorpion even. That really hurt.
Narrator:
Whether they like it or not, to get to school, there is nothing left for the boys to do but walk through the dense undergrowth. In about one to two weeks, the lush green would have dried out. But as long as possible, the Affairs graze their animals there. For the goats, sheep, and camels, this is a real treat in the otherwise arid Danakil Desert. Almost daily, dangerous sandstorms sweep over the dunes. One is starting to blow through just now. Khadija and Lolita must remain close to each other and be careful not to stray from the path. They still have a difficult journey through the storm and dunes before them. Their goal, the school and the village of Kosovar. Their teacher, Mulu, is already preparing her lessons. She knows what hardships the children must tackle on their way to school every day.
Translator: The greatest problem for the children on their way to school is that they do not have enough water. Students get tired, and it becomes difficult for them to travel that great distance through the desert. And then there are sandstorms. It has happened before that children get lost in sand storms and disappear.
Narrator:
In the vastness of the Danakil Desert, there is no protection from the sudden strong winds. Sometimes, the storm first dissipates on the following day. The wind whips the students skin with desert sand. It’s something Khadija and Lolita have experienced before. The sand hurts their eyes. They can hardly keep them open. They both fight bravely through the storm. Fortunately, they are not far now. The village and the school are located directly behind the dunes. A short time later, they both reached their destination, the small town of Kosovar. 6,000 people live here and in the surrounding towns. There are neither roads nor electricity nor running water. The children pass the time until the classes begin. The school is the only place for them where they’re allowed to be children in this inhospitable region. Hamid and Mohammed arrive at the dunes.
The sandstorm has subsided. Nevertheless, the way remains difficult. Although it is only a few minutes after eight o’clock in the morning, the sand under their feet is already a glowing 50 degrees Celsius. This produces many challenges for the 11-year-old Hamid. Translator: It’s very difficult to walk in the sand because I sink in. Also, the sand is so hot that it always burns our feet. It’s the hardest part of our way. And when it’s windy, we only see (mumbles), nothing more. That why I don’t like this part of the way to school.
Narrator:
After more than two hours and a 15-kilometer march, Hamed and Mohammed finally reach the school.
Just in time. The morning flag ceremony is about to begin, not in the shade but in the blazing sun. Even the smallest of them, like the six-year-old Lolita, must stand at attention reverently and pause for a moment before they can all begin to sing together.
Khadija and Lolita are both in first grade. Although she is three years older, all grade levels are taught together, a huge challenge for the teachers. However, the greatest problem is the language barrier. Mulu teaches mostly in Amharic, the Ethiopian national language, but the children speak most only Afar. That means as soon as they start school, they must learn a new language. The little ones are tired from the long journey and the heat. After all their exertions, it’s difficult for them to follow the lessons. Despite the official compulsory school attendance laws, only one in three children in Ethiopia goes to school. Many leave after the first grade without ever learning how to read or write.
Hamed is in the third grade. He is a good student and very ambitious. He’s doing math at the moment, fractions to be exact. He has to go up to the blackboard and show his work, a breeze for Hamed. He is rewarded with applause for the correct answer. Although Hamed is talented in math, it is not his favorite subject. Translator: Most of all, I like the language arts, especially when we learn and speak in Afar. It’s my native language. My second favorite is learning Amharic. Since its the official language of Ethiopia,
I want to learn well. That important so that I can speak to all Ethiopians.
Narrator:
As Hamed continues to do his calculations, the 14-year-old Mohammed fetches water for the other school children together with a few other boys. The well is located some 15 minutes from the school. The well was built by a foreign aid organization. It pumps the groundwater from deep below up to the surface, a great help for the people here. Lunchtime, especially the little ones need the strength for themselves for the journey back home in the heat. The water that Mohammed and the other boys have brought is still cool and refreshes the children. The school lunch, mostly millet, is free for the children. Khadija is sharing a special time with some of her girlfriends.
Translator: In school, I get to meet my friends and relatives. That nice.
Narrator:
The children enjoy their break. Afterwards, they still have an hour of lessons ahead of them. Half past one, school is over. It’s hot, 45 degrees Celsius. Most children are in for a long arduous way back home.
The 11-year-old Hamed must walk home alone. His friend, Mohammed, is on the way to the salt mines
to help his father at work. Hamed faces a two-hour long journey home at the hottest time of the day in one of the hottest regions of the world. 14-year-old Mohammed leaves with some men from the village
to the salt mines in Afdera 50 miles away. There is no infrastructure in this area, but on some days in the week, trucks come from Afdera and take the men to the salt mines. It is a two-hour drive. For many, working in the mine is the only way to earn money. This is also true for Mohammed and his family.
Translator: There’s almost no transportation here. I think it would be really great if the trucks would run
more often also to the school. That would make everything so much easier, and I could help my father more often in the salt mines. The salt lake of Afdera. Its water is about as salty as that of the Dead Sea,
and it provides the livelihood for many of the people in the region. As they have done for centuries, the miners use water to expose the salt. They then break up the white gold with pickaxes. This work is extremely exhausting in 50-degree heat and with no shade. Mohammed’s father, Us man, has worked in the salt mine for many years.
Translator: Even at my age, I work here because I must. And at times, my son helps me. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have enough money. But if he does well in school and graduates with good grades, I don’t want him to work here anymore. I want him to leave this place and find another job.
Narrator: Us man hopes for a better life for his son, but he also knows that this means that his son will have to leave home. Khadija and Lolita are walking through the dunes. This time, they don’t need to deal with the sandstorm, but they do have to deal with the sun and the sand beneath their feet which has now reached 70 degrees Celsius and burns them with every step.
Translator: Actually, I’m used to walking barefoot. This morning, the sand wasn’t that horribly hot, but now it is very hot. It really hurts my feet.
Narrator: Khadija and Lolita are on their way home, while the men there are preparing for Loiters circumcision. Their father, Sahid, brings Loiters uncle to the tent. He will perform the circumcision. According to tradition, an Afar man from the mothers family must do it. He prepares a paste from the (mumbles) plant which is believed will give Lolita strength.
Translator: Due to our religious beliefs, this circumcision is very important to us. We believe that it’s very important for a man to be circumcised. Lolita is now at the right age for this ceremony.
Narrator:
Hamed fights his way through the dunes at a temperature of 47 degrees Celsius. The Danakil Desert lies 100 meters below sea level. Nowhere else is the Earth’s crust so thin and as active as here. Under the volcanic ground lies glowing magma. The sun from above and the heat from below make the region a veritable oven.
Translator: On my way home, there is no water in spots or wells. When it’s as hot as it is today, I take a small detour. There is a fountain there. After I have had something to drink, I go on.
Narrator:
The watering spot is, however, five kilometers away. Meanwhile, Khadija and Lolita are not too far from home. Lolita can go straight home, but Khadija still needs to help with the digging of a new well.
Therefore, from hereon, they go different ways. Lolita hurries home. Today is his big day. At sunset, when the heat has died down, he will be transformed, through the celebration of circumcision, into a man. Before that happens, Lolita can rest for a while. He is the baby of the family and his father, Sahids pride and joy. He will inherit everything one day and walk in the footprints of his father. Lolita doesn’t seem too excited about his circumcision.
Translator: I’m very excited. I want to be just like my friends.
Narrator: In a few moments, it will be time. Loiters father and his uncle have also finished with their preparations and now only need to mix the herbal mixture with water for the circumcision. At the same time, Hamed drags himself through the landscape with his last strength. He wants to go to the well. The heat is extreme. The Affairs are accustomed to it and barely sweat even at such high temperatures.
The few wells are miles apart. Millions of years ago, an ocean covered the Danakil Desert. Even today, the soil is extremely salty. Therefore, almost nothing grows well here. Hamed is hungry and thirsty. The many kilometers to and from school sap his strength, but he travels them every day for a better life.
Finally, Hamed has reached the well. He has been walking for over an hour in temperatures close to 50 degrees Celsius. The Afar culture teaches everyone to help each other. Hamed is grateful and gets stronger with every large gulp.
Translator: I was so thirsty along the way and was very glad that I could get something to drink.
Narrator:
Although water is a very previous commodity in the region, Hamed is able to cool off. Khadija is also very thirsty, but there is still nothing there for her to drink. First, she must help dig the new well.
Although she is only nine years old, she regularly helps in projects such as these. To enable the men to dig deeper, Khadija removes the muddy water. This is the only way for them to subsequently reach the clean groundwater.
Translator: When I grow up, I want to get away from here. I want to get married and live somewhere with tap water.
Narrator:
Very few Affairs move to the cities. Most of them continue the traditional way of life n the remote. As hard as life here can be, one things always gives Khadija great joy, watering the camels. About 10 kilometers away, Hamid meets his sister, Asia. She was helping with the animals the entire day. Asia is curious about what Hamid learned in school. After all, her big brother has a new story for her every day. It’s been a long, arduous, and especially hot day for both of them. Soon, it will be over. Together, they make their way home.
Around five o’clock in the afternoon, the evening sun sets over the Danakil Desert and the salt mines of Afdera. The great heat of the day is over even if it is still over 30 degrees Celsius. Mohammed has arrived at the salt mines. He will stay here a few days to work with his father, Us man who is happy that his son is there to lend him a helping hand. Although Mohammed is only 14, he has to work just as hard as the adults. The workers can make up to $50 a day, a lot of money in Ethiopia where the average income is just under $30 a month.
Translator: I don’t like to work here. I only do it to help my father because we need the money. But when I finish school, I don’t want to work here anymore. Narrator: In order to escape the work in the salt mines, Mohammed goes to school. But today, that where he’s working, well into the night, breaking slabs of salt from the earth. 50 kilometers away, Khadija finally reaches home after a long day. Her cousins don’t go to school, and they’re curious each time about what Khadija has learned that day. But Khadija has no time for storytelling. She wants to do her homework before its dark. Very often, this is not easy. The paper is sandy, and the pens have dried up.
Translator: Today was very hot and exhausting. I’m tired, and after I do my homework, I’m going to bed.
Narrator: Khadija is not permitted to be at her brothers circumcision. Her father, Sahid, leads the men from the village. Now the big moment has arrived for small Lolita. The Affairs are Muslims. For them, the circumcision of a boy symbolizes entry into the community of faith. Before Lolita can take part in this, he washes himself with a herbal mixture that his father and uncle had prepared in the afternoon. It is supposed to make him strong and brave.
Male circumcisions are usually uncomplicated. However, the Affairs traditionally circumcise their girls as well. It is a cruel act in which every third girl dies. Despite many attempts from the outside world to convince them otherwise, many of the Affairs still practice this tradition. Sahid talks to his son encouragingly in order to distract him from the pain. Lolita is told to brace himself and repeat a traditional chant.
Narrator:
After a few minutes it is all over. Lolita is still a bit shaken up, but he survived it well. Sahid is proud that his son was so brave. Lolita is exhausted, but he doesn’t want anyone to know.
Translator: I’m alright. It doesn’t hurt that badly.
Narrator:
Now, Lolita can recover from the long day. Over the village of Abdel ale, at the foot of the volcano,
the day draws to a close. Hamed and his sister, Asia, have arrived safely home. They have dinner together with their parents and siblings, fresh milk and homemade bread. Hamed’s parents are proud that their son goes to school, but they are happy every time he is back after a long day like today and can be with them.
Translator: I’m very tired. It was so hot today. Especially after school, it was a very tiring walk home. I’m glad that I’m home now and can eat and drink.
Narrator:
And the big and small inhabitants of the village enjoy the slight cooling off that accompanies twilight.
For the next few hours, the sun disappears from above the Ethiopian Danakil Desert, one of the hottest inhabited places on Earth.
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