Jesse
Jesse, one of Brazil’s child river traders, risks his life to make some money to help his family.
Jesse, 14, is one of dozens of Brazilian river-dwellers who risk death to make a few pennies selling sweets and jams. He can neither read nor write, but Jesse knows how to count his profits. He has been river trading since the age of 10.
He is the youngest of 12 children in a family of 28 who live in a house on stilts. His grandfather settled in Brazil from Portugal about 100 years ago during the rubber boom, followed later by logging and timber.
Jesse was shot dead by the captain of a river barge during an attempted armed robbery.
Published On 18 May 2011