The Problem:The Problem:Child LabourChild Labour

The CausesThe Causes::

Common causes of child labour are poverty, parental Common causes of child labour are poverty, parental illiteracy, social apathy, lack of education and exposure, illiteracy, social apathy, lack of education and exposure, exploitation of cheap and unorganized labor. exploitation of cheap and unorganized labor.

Today “Child Labour ” does not remain a mere means of Today “Child Labour ” does not remain a mere means of economic exploitation but has become a necessity due to economic exploitation but has become a necessity due to the economic needs of the parents and the child himself.the economic needs of the parents and the child himself.

Effects / ConsequencesEffects / Consequences

According to sociologists, development workers, According to sociologists, development workers, medical professionals and educationists “Child medical professionals and educationists “Child labour” is a derogatory term which translates into labour” is a derogatory term which translates into child exploitation and inhumanity . child exploitation and inhumanity .

They have identified child labour as harmful and They have identified child labour as harmful and hazardous to the child’s development needs, both hazardous to the child’s development needs, both mental and physical. mental and physical. 

TheThe ThoughtThought

The future of a community is in the well being of its children. The future of a community is in the well being of its children. The above fact is beautifully expressed by Wordsworth in his The above fact is beautifully expressed by Wordsworth in his famous lines “famous lines “child is father of the manchild is father of the man”.”.

So it becomes imperative for the health of a nation to protect So it becomes imperative for the health of a nation to protect its children from premature labour which is hazardous to their its children from premature labour which is hazardous to their mental, physical, educational and spiritual development needs.mental, physical, educational and spiritual development needs.

It is urgently required to save children from the murderous It is urgently required to save children from the murderous clutches of social injustice and educational deprivation, and clutches of social injustice and educational deprivation, and ensure that they are given opportunities for healthy, normal and ensure that they are given opportunities for healthy, normal and happy growth.happy growth.  ..  

The Action Plan:The Action Plan:

By forming teams of 5 students each under the effective By forming teams of 5 students each under the effective guidance of 3 teachers and supervision of the Principal madam guidance of 3 teachers and supervision of the Principal madam we identified ten children who were engaged in child labour .we identified ten children who were engaged in child labour .

Our primary objective was to ensure that the child is given Our primary objective was to ensure that the child is given education , and in the long run totally freed from the evil education , and in the long run totally freed from the evil clutches of “ Child Labour”.clutches of “ Child Labour”.

However , we felt that if we ask the parents of the children to However , we felt that if we ask the parents of the children to stop sending them for work it may work temporarily but stop sending them for work it may work temporarily but it may it may fail in the long run since it would affect the income of the familyfail in the long run since it would affect the income of the family which they may not be able to bear. Also initially the parents which they may not be able to bear. Also initially the parents may not be confident of our long term objectives and there may not be confident of our long term objectives and there could be lack of trust for us in their minds.could be lack of trust for us in their minds.

The Action Plan:The Action Plan:

So, as a long term solution to ensuring that the child is never So, as a long term solution to ensuring that the child is never subjected to the hardships of child labour and in order to ensure subjected to the hardships of child labour and in order to ensure total upliftment of the family as a whole we decided to support total upliftment of the family as a whole we decided to support all the ten families by providing food & clothing all the ten families by providing food & clothing till such time till such time they themselves feel that they are not in need of any help.they themselves feel that they are not in need of any help.

We asked all the children of our school to save a handful of We asked all the children of our school to save a handful of wheat & rice everyday for 15 days . Also we asked them to wheat & rice everyday for 15 days . Also we asked them to generously donate clothes & other items which they did generously donate clothes & other items which they did gracefully . gracefully . By this method we were able to collect food grains By this method we were able to collect food grains which will allow us to take care of the ten families for the entire which will allow us to take care of the ten families for the entire year.year.

The Action Plan:The Action Plan:

We met the parents of these children and explained We met the parents of these children and explained them our objectives. With some initial hiccups they them our objectives. With some initial hiccups they agreed to cooperate with us and send their children agreed to cooperate with us and send their children to attend school in evening.to attend school in evening.

We provided the children with books and our We provided the children with books and our teachers and team members are conducting teachers and team members are conducting individual and personalized coaching of these individual and personalized coaching of these children everyday for two hours after school in the children everyday for two hours after school in the evening evening which will continue endlesslywhich will continue endlessly..

Our Reward:Our Reward:

The satisfaction of having contributed The satisfaction of having contributed and and

being instrumental in some form being instrumental in some form in bringing change in the lives in bringing change in the lives

of not just ten children but ten families of not just ten children but ten families and and

thereby redefining the destinies of thereby redefining the destinies of many a future generations many a future generations

to come.to come.