A wheelbarrow is a small hand pushing carriage with only one wheel and two handles. It is constructed to be used by only one person at a time. Wheelbarrows come in several sizes and shapes. It also serves different purposes for various groups of people. Farmers use a wheelbarrow to carry their equipment and farm yield to and fro the market. Construction workers use a wheelbarrow to move supplies, tools and dirt from one place to another. The one wheel helps to support the load while the two handles make the load lighter and easier to move around. A wheelbarrow in general helps the user to move their load with minimum effort.
I am a farm boy. My father owns a medium-sized farm in my village. We plant various kinds of crops ranging from yams, cocoyams, maize, tomatoes, pepper, and potatoes. Farming is the major source of income in my family. My junior brother and I are responsible for carrying our farm products to the market. We carry then in big baskets on our heads from the farm to the market which is almost 15 km apart. This is very difficult for us but we have to do it because our old parents do not have sufficient energy to trek that distance with heavy loads on their backs and heads.
I beg for a wheelbarrow. I cannot afford to purchase one for myself because of my financial incapacity. I am a 17-year-old boy still in school. I do not have any other source of income except selling our farm products in the market. My parents are not wealthy. They are poor farmers who are trying their best to take care of their two young sons. The cost of a wheelbarrow is very high in our market. The little money we get after-sales is used to pay our school fees and buy drugs for my sick grandmother in my village health center. Having a wheelbarrow will bring joy to my parents. They always pity us when we carry these loads on our heads, but what can they do?
The life of a farm boy in my village is very hard. A farm boy like me without a wheelbarrow is most difficult. I go to school daily. I leave my home by 6 am to get to my school which is about 10 km away from home. I dismiss from school by 2 pm and then rush to the farm immediately to carry the harvested crops to the market women. On days when there is no crop to be taken to the market, I carry bags of sand on my head to sell to the builders in the market. I do all this manual work with my junior brother who is just 15 years old. A wheelbarrow will ease our hard labor and also help us sell more because we will cover more distance in few hours.
My family all dream of a better life. I want to help other aged people in my village carry their products to the market; this is my little way of giving back to my community. A wheelbarrow will surely bring these goals to reality. I will remain thankful if you help me get a wheelbarrow. A philanthropist like you will make my life as a farm boy pleasant. Thank you.
