There are a lot of thoughts knocking at my mind right now
What can we do for these children…. We may talk about getting free education implemented for each of them…. honest distribution of mid day meals, NGO’s etc etc.
When we talk of such things, do these children have to work because their parents don’t have money to teach them… if that had been the case free education would help…. But the issue is their parents don’t have money enough to feed them and in some cases there are no parents at all. So, free education is not the complete solution. We need to ensure that there families can have enough to food so that the children can come and really concentrate and enjoy while they get this free education.
Just think of all the arrangements and restrictions on TV, ambiance for study, etc, that we indulge in when we have to study or there is someone in the family who has an exam to appear.
How can the poor child come to school everyday (even if free, with a meal for him), when his younger infant brother is wailing with hunger and he knows he could help him if he went to work instead of going to school? What would you have done had you been in his place?
I am all for free education, but there is one more shackle that binds them. The burden of responsibilities needs to be taken of their shoulders then we can stop child labour. We have to provide them with an alternative before snatching that meal they are now earning for themselves through “Child Labour”.
A mid-day meal is not going to help… that is only for one person but these young “Men of the family”are feeding their families
However till that time we must discourage Child labour in places like chemical factories, jewelery work shops, etc, where they are deprived of even things like day light and normal breathable air.
I am not saying only children should be protected from these hazards, but looking at the pace of the things that happen around here, we can work towards creating a better world, one step at a time, without waking up the so called “thekedaars” of society who raise slogans for everything, mess up everything, and do not let any one else do anything.
Till that time what each one of us can do is provide at least one thing to these children which is there born right….. love. Speak tenderly to the working child, he is a child after all, do not speak to his profile or profession … speak to him, to the child within him and he will respond…. Let him have his moments of innocence …. His moments of childhood……
Speak more humanely to the child who is nagging you or tugging at the ice cream that you have given to your child…. Give him something to eat but not in the manner of alms but as you would give to any child of your friend…. May not be as expensive but it would certainly make him feel good. Do not have the look of sympathy in your eyes while giving it to him… try and have the look of happiness and pride that you have when you see your own child happy. That would be a one first small step towards making him feel that he is also meant to grow up and be like you and buy things instead of begging for them……........
