Marisol: Garment worker in Mexico

Hi, my name is Marisol Castillo and I work in a sweatshop called “Maquiadora” in Tehuacan, Mexico. I am currently 16 years old, but I started working here when I was 12. Typically, my shift begins at 8:30 am and goes until 8:30 pm, however, if I don’t get my quota done for the day, I have to stay until it is finished without any extra pay.  When I first started, I had to stay late for a month because I was worried I would hurt my fingers, so I worked too slow. On Saturdays, I work from 8 in the morning until 5 pm without any breaks or even lunch. The rules around here are pretty strict, and as soon as work is over, I have to be searched before I am allowed to leave the factory because they don’t want us to steal anything. Also, if you arrive 15 minutes late to work, you have to work for 3 days without pay. So far, I haven’t been late because I don’t want to get docked pay since I only earn an average of $30-$50 per week the way it is. With that small amount, I can barely pay the bills and can't start my life on my own for a long time. The working conditions are horrible, but their isn’t really much we can do about them for now…