Die Last des Goldes

GUMAOS, Philippines - For as long as Aiza can remember, her day began earlier than most as she, her sister, and their mother worked to eke out a meagre living at the gold mines in Cumaos. Aiza learned the practice from her mother, and now her six year-old sister is learning from her. When her mother fell ill last year, Aiza had to quit school and work full time to support the family and pay for her mother's medical bills. She is just one of almost 18,000 children who work in the small-scale mining and quarrying sector in the Philippines.