Brillith has lived most of her life in an area of the capital city of Bogotá, Colombia, called El Cartucho. She has been a witness to murders, rapes and drug use, and she has been abused by her mother in El Cartucho.
Alone with her mother and sister, Brillith used to live in a small room, which she and her sister had to leave every time one of her mother’s clients came. This usually occurred all night. Brillith always took care of and took responsibility for her younger sister.
Brillith’s mother left her father when Brillith was 6 years old because he is 31 years older than she is. He is 69 years old. And, he is very sick, suffering from tuberculosis. Brillith has to take care of not only her sister, but also her father because his illness prevented him from working.
Since she was a little girl, Brillith has always had to work, sometimes by selling arepas (cornbread) and candies in the streets, accompanied by her little sister. They used to run away from the possibility of being sexually abused.
Brillith is now living in the city of Cali, where she came to escape the tragedies that occurred in Bogotá. Her father brought them. She lives with her father and sister in her aunt´s house.
Brillith goes to the Institución Educativa República de Israel (school) from 6:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The teachers and administrators took an interest in her life story, bonded with her, and enrolled her in eighth grade. During breaks, Brillith sells candy and bracelets, which she makes herself.
Brillith operates a food stand, selling fried foods, for 8 hours (from 2 p.m. – 10 p.m.), 5 days a week (Tuesday – Saturday). And, on Saturday morning and on Sunday she does domestic work.
