ABSTRACT
This chapter begins with the voice of Edwin, a teenaged laborer in the mines of Cerro Rico. Much of the acclaimed documentary, The Devil’s Miner, takes place there. Cerro Rico, located near Potosí, is Bolivia’s most infamous mine. Some believe that more than 8 million workers have perished there since the 16th century, when its silver “bankrolled” the Spanish Empire. Children who work in agriculture and construction often endure long hours, wield potentially dangerous machinery and tools, carry heavy loads, and use harmful chemicals. Harvesting sugar cane is arduous work. “Street children” is a problematic term used to describe a range of different situations: separating from one’s family or parents; experiencing homelessness and actually living on the streets; moving in and out of shelters; abandoning school; and/or working in the streets by day having a roof over one’s head at night. A single, homogenizing label masks a dive.
