In a  developing country like India, a child gets easily engaged in the laboring world.The little young hearts filled with innocence are the actual sufferers. What forces them to sacrifice their school, education and those fun filled laughs? Family burdens and survival, debts, search for food to fill that empty stomach  and many other factors compels these blossoming lives to join the laboring world.

We are all acquainted with the heart melting views of the children begging in the streets and temples. We have seen a number of children agreeing to the gruesome  situations of their lives and are found sometimes washing dishes in the hotels or sitting in the footpaths expecting coins.

Recently, I along with my family visited a hotel around Kaziranga area, Assam. We were shocked to see a child collecting the plates from the customer's table and then washing each of the plates as ordered by the hotel manager. That child sacrificed his sleep and dreams to afford a one night meal his stomach was starving for. I was left speechless and realized that prayers and small donations just from one side aren't enough.
                                                      

Laboring of children is evident in many tea stalls, vendors shops, fish markets and even in public vehicles gathering passengers. You might have heard the children yelling in tea stalls " Bhaiya, chai le lo, 5 rupaye 5 rupaye".

 Sometimes when your car stops at the red traffic signal, you might have caught some views of these children selling newspapers, flowers etc. But you might have never paid attention to the pristine heart  behind that advertising skill.

Yes, inhumanity and and immorality have reached its peak in the prevailing generation. The rich gentleman rarely gives a call to his conscience and readily commands that child on the street to polish his shoes.

Minors living in villages practices farming, cultivation, milk production as their major economic activities to earn a living and as instructed by the family members.

Even the minors working in fireworks, repairs, weaving and bangle making and chemical  industries sacrifices the charm of their delicate palms.



 Has the problem of destitution became such a powerful tool to curse a child's future?

To bring the change
Different acts have been put forwarded to protect children from employment and to prohibit the practice of child labour. A popular act known largely is the 'Child and Adolescent Labour Act, 1986'. The purpose of the act was to prohibit a person below the age of 14 years to get employed under any hazardous situation and ensures penalty and imprisonment on the violation of the same.

But, we are all aware of the bitter reality that penalizes our eyes each time we encounter a child again on the laboring world .

Yes, in economically weaker sections child labor is still prevalent. Still such acts are violtaed and the child suffers again.

What could be the minimum expected steps ...

Not everything but yes almost major part of the solution relies in the hands of common citizens like us. We should be well aware of child labor, impacts and prohibition. We are blessed with the power of sharing, spreading awareness and somewhat giving rise to our morality to put some steps forward to fight this curse.

The government cannot solely keep an eye on the suffering souls because they hardly visit a place like a bus stand or a tea stall where common people like us visits regularly. We come across child labor everyday. We can act as messengers to the govt by spreading the reality !

Moreover, next time you meet a child laboring to earn his living, please don't address the situation with a filthy vision. Respect the child as you may never know the reason behind the minor's professionalism on work !  

Smile and let the child know you are there for the surviving soul !🙂🙂🙂🙂

 Come lets maintain this evergreen smile...!
















Image sources: Google