“ I wanted to be like one of them but never had the opportunity. All I got was torture from my house owners,” she said.
Jhansi was rescued by volunteers of Association for Promoting Social Action (APSA) where she wascoached to attend seventh standard. She has now completed her II PUC in flying colours, and proposes to pursue her BEd. She wants to be a teacher.
Haseena who was also rescued by APSA, was a child labourer for six years. She completed her SSLC this year and wants to study more and work in a Bank.
“APSA already has more than 300 children with them and they cannot take care of everyone, I want the government to do something for us. I want to study more, I need the government’s help,” she said
Marimuthu, a 14-year-old boy used to clear plates and wash vessels at a hotel in JP Nagar two years ago.
Although he was admitted to the school, he dropped out due to bad company. Rescued, he is undergoing coaching to write the seventh standard exam.
Unlike the thousand innocent voices which get buried in the noise of the factory machines or due to the fear of their employers, these children were bold and lucky to express their point of view to the government’s officials including Labour minister Bache Gowda on the occasion of World Day against Child Labour here on Sunday. Over 3,000 children from various government schools joined hands in a rally to invite those unfortunate friends to quit work and join schools and took oath that they will eradicate child labour.
The State Child Labour Project (SCLP) will open schools in the remaining 13 districts where eight schools are running at present. In 2011-12, under the Child Labour rehabilitation programme, the Centre has allotted Rs 600 lakh out of which Rs 268 lakh has already been granted.
Besides Makkala Sahayavani (telephone no.1098), the Labour department has a control room number 22453549 which is open from 10 am to 5:30 pm.
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