Diary of a Today- African Child-Slave
By Dissirama BOUTORA-TAKPA

Fisrt novel of this Togoleese young author, A Maid’s Diary is a novel dealing with social matters. It relates in the shape of a diary-meant for an unknown, Pamela –the terrible life of a young maid. Agathe looses her name and her parents at the same time. Adjo, her modern slave name will be given to her by her first masters, owners of a small company of slave children in Gabon. He situation will grow worst when “realeased” and doomed to every sort of work in her own country.
Sometimes, she feels herself as being in the situation of Agathe or Adjo. In turns, she turns back to Agathe when arises a hope for a new life, a real life, a worthy life but still the fate irreparably trows her back to Adjo.
Being a true scourage in sub-saharian and northern Africa, Child slavery praticed by some adults is a proved fact often concealed behind too good intention : “whihout this work, that child would be out on the street” they say. This supprising srtory abtained the prize France-Togo 2001.

Transleted by Daniel EZAKI
Joël Parfait ROYE,
Third year students in English departement of université de Lomé(Togo).