In Photos: Poverty Drives Child Labor in Egypt

In Egypt, nearly one in three people are living in extreme poverty, Cairo, Aug. 8, 2021. (Hamada Elrasam/VOA)

Mohamed Hamido, 14, left school to earn a living removing dust from housing demolition sites, as his single, diabetic mother cannot financially support their family of three, Cairo, Aug. 8, 2021. (Hamada Elrasam/VOA)

Poor parents sometimes make their children beg for money or sell small items on the streets. Forced begging is considered human trafficking, Cairo, Aug. 11, 2021. (Hamada Elrasam/VOA)

Farwla, 13, left school to assist the women in her family with household chores, Cairo, Aug. 9, 2021. (Hamada Elrasam/VOA)

Children in poor neighborhoods are more vulnerable to human trafficking, Cairo, Aug. 11, 2021. (Hamada Elrasam/VOA)

Mostafa, 11, left school three years ago and now works at a local mechanic’s shop six days a week, from 11 a.m. to midnight, to help support his large family. His dream is to one day own a smartphone, Cairo, Aug. 9, 2021. (Hamada Elrasam/VOA)

Tall fences, unaffordable ticket prices, and exhausting labor conditions stand between child workers and Cairo’s sporting clubs, Aug. 11, 2021. (Hamada Elrasam/VOA)

Many of Egypt’s employed children are engaged in hazardous non-wage work, often within their families, Cairo, Aug. 9, 2021. (Hamada Elrasam/VOA)

Heavy traffic in dense residential neighborhoods endangers children as they go to and from their jobs, Cairo, Aug. 11, 2021. (Hamada Elrasam/VOA)

Egypt has made “moderate" progress in efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labor, says the U.S. Labor Department, but it still struggles with sexual exploitation, human trafficking and children doing hard labor, Cairo, Aug. 9, 2021. (Hamada Elrasam/VOA)