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Filling the family's transport gap in sub-Saharan Africa: young people and load carrying in Ghana

Porter, G.; Blaufuss, K.; Owusu Acheampong, F.

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Authors

K. Blaufuss

F. Owusu Acheampong



Contributors

L. Holt
Editor

Abstract

This chapter considers the implications of sub-Saharan Africa’s transport gap for young people. In urban and rural areas, wherever transport services are deficient, or households lack the economic purchasing power to acquire transport equipment or pay fares, much everyday transport work needed to sustain the family and household is delegated to young people, especially girls. In most regions this involves putting the load in some sort of receptacle – perhaps a plastic container, metal bowl, hessian sack, cardboard box, or a locally woven basket – and then balancing it on the head, which is often protected by a small coil of cloth to make the burden more comfortable. Water and fuel commonly predominate among the loads being carried, even in urban areas, because of the widespread absence of piped water and electricity, but other items such as agricultural produce and groceries are also regularly transported in this way. Loads are carried to sustain the household directly, in terms of providing water, fuel and food, but also to enable participation in the cash economy.

Citation

Porter, G., Blaufuss, K., & Owusu Acheampong, F. (2010). Filling the family's transport gap in sub-Saharan Africa: young people and load carrying in Ghana. In L. Holt (Ed.), Geographies of children, youth and families : an international perspective (189-202). Routledge

Publication Date Dec 15, 2010
Deposit Date May 23, 2013
Publicly Available Date Mar 3, 2014
Publisher Routledge
Pages 189-202
Book Title Geographies of children, youth and families : an international perspective.
Chapter Number 13
ISBN 9780415563833
Publisher URL http://www.routledge.com/9780415563840

Files

Accepted Book Chapter (269 Kb)
PDF

Copyright Statement
This is an Accepted Manuscript of a book chapter published by Routledge in Geographies of children, youth and families: an international perspective on 15/12/2010, available online: http://www.routledge.com/9780415563840





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