KAYAYO (2016)

Kayayo means "girl carrier" in the Ga language. In the capital of Ghana, 10 000 girls from the ages of 6 work as real life shopping carts carrying around large trays on their heads for women in the markets to put their goods in. The girls earn very little money and the massive weight of the trays often become such a strain on their tiny necks that they result in physical injuries. The girls, who come from poor families in northern Ghana, are sent south and far away from their homes to financially support their families and help pay for schooling for their brothers. Years can go by without any contact with their relatives while they are forced to live in the very dangerous and toxic slums of the capital in Ghana. They are not allowed to return to their families before they have made enough money but with limited to non-existent math skills the girls rarely know how much they've earned. More times than not their handlers stuff the own pockets from the girl's earnings and as a result many of them end up in prostitution to make ends meet. This documentary is about Bamunu, an 8-year old girl who hasn't seen her family since she was sent away from home two years ago to work as a Kayayo. All she dreams about is to earn enough money so she can finally come home for good. We follow her while she works in the markets and witness firsthand the cruelty she endures on a daily basis from customers, and her incessant longing to go home. She finally gets the phone call from her family she has been waiting for and we follow her journey home.