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World Vision India: Changing Lives of Child Laborers
World Vision India, an NGO is educating and taking care of children who work as child laborers, such is the story of Mohsin.
Wonder if fairy tales do come true? Be prepared to believe they do.
This is the story of a boy who was a slum-dweller, but who soon fell in love with the world of books. Mohsin, a student of class II in Primary School Kanya, a small school with 92 students, three teachers, and a headmaster in the city of Meerut exclaims, "I love my school books. I enjoy school. I like studying English the most and I enjoy Math and Hindi too”. "I am very fine” he added, innocently flaunting the English he has learnt. Mohsin calls his school bag one of his prized possessions as it is home for his favorite companions. “Mohsin joined us in 2014 and he is a sincere student", says headmaster Mohommad Naushad. After he completes his school by 12 noon, the young boy heads to Madarsa followed by Child Tuition Centre(where he went in 2013) where children learn to cope with their regular studies. Mohsin was enrolled in school in 2014.
However, Mohsin didn't have a life this before. Before 2013, he worked as a child laborer, employed at a bookbinding unit near his home. Due to asthma, Mohsin's father didn't work. Even his mother, Kanij earned a living for her family through odd jobs with meagre income. So, to meet the large family's needs, Mohsin had to give away his childhood and start earning. "Mohsin would earn 20 rupees a week and that would suffice for his needs. For me, it was like he was being taken care of. Even if there is no money in the house, I will still send Mohsin to school. I will never stop his education,” said Kenji firmly. "Mohsin smiles more often now, he is happier. I want a good life for my child.” she added. Mohsin’s life has transformed since he quit work; he is happier and healthier, he even spends more time with this friends, living what childhood has to offer him with.
"When I grow up, I want to be a police officer!” Mohsin says with his eyes sparkling. "I want to run fast and catch all the thieves. But, I want to finish studying first. Without going to school, I will not become a good police officer”, Mohsin added.
The NGO that turns the dreams of childre like Mohsin into reality is World Vision India, which launched Meerut Child Labor Project in 2013. It facilitate the operation of Child Care Centres where children are counselled, assessed and they are persuaded to quit their jobs and start a new life with education. The staff also visits the families regularly to explain the importance of education to them and how education has the power to change their life. At the centre, they are also taught basics of subjects. The child gets ready after a year, after which he or she is enrolled in school with the NGOs support. Child Tuition Centres, then, serve as an auxiliary support to children.
The initiative with a total of 21 local teachers in over 14 centers are training 3019 children. The project has been successful in increasing the functional literacy rate of children who were earlier involved in child labor from 19 per cent to 39 per cent.
Dreams do come true, don't they?
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