Children combining school and work in Ethiopian communities

In a context of rapidly expanding access to school in Ethiopia, alongside investment and development which are providing incentives for children to work, this chapter considers how children living in conditions of relative poverty experience both work and schooling, and how these are inter-related in selected urban and rural communities. We begin by reviewing relevant literature and introducing the methods used in the Young Lives research. This is followed by a presentation of the findings from both survey and qualitative data demonstrating the prevalence of work as an integral part of children's upbringing, which increases with age and has gender dimensions. We discuss the challenges that children face in combining schools and work, and the perceived risks and benefits involved