From Child Labour to College: Support Her Future

Sarthak, aged 9, comes from the village of Sonewadi in Maharashtra, India. He lives with his father, mother and four sisters in a two roomed, tin roofed house. The total household income for the family is the equivalent of £1.60 per day.

Sarthak came into contact with the project through his local Child Parliament. The project’s Child Parliaments encourage children to shape their future though collective decision making on issues that are of importance to them. They also play a role in educating children on issues such as education, child rights and gender equality. Sarthak had the role of Health Minister with his local Parliament which meant he was responsible for raising awareness of hygiene and sanitation with his fellow students.

However Sarthak’s Mother was concerned about Sarthak’s performance at school. Though he had lots of energy he rarely focussed on his studies and spent much of his time playing and joking. Through the Child Parliament the project team heard about Sarthak’s difficulty with his school work. A project social worker started to give individual attention to Sarthak and to convince him of the necessity of thinking about his future. He encouraged Sarthak to apply his energy in school as well as in the Child Parliament.

With one on one care Sarthak has started to show a real interest in his studies. He goes to his teachers with anything he does not understand and studies with his friends so they can help each other. Through the Child Parliament he has begun acting in street theatre plays designed to inform children of the importance of education. He has also started growing vegetables like potatoes and chillies at the front of his house.  

Now Sarthak is studying for the state scholarship programme. His Mother has noticed a huge improvement in his grades and is very grateful to the project for helping her son reach his full potential. None of this would have been possible without the project and its supporters.  

Often parents in India pull their children out of school so they can work to supplement the meagre family income. In order that kids stay in school the needs of parents to earn a decent income must be addressed. That is why the project looks to give women livelihood opportunities in sewing and stitching. With the income they earn families are better able to support their children’s continuing education.

Rubina, 25, lives in the village of Kerula with her husband and three small children. Her husband works as a driver and earns around £50 per month. Before she contacted the project Rubina spent most of her day taking care of the children and doing household chores.

Rubina had dropped out of school after 10^th standard like many young girls in Indian society. When a team member told Rubina about the project’s free vocational skills course for women she didn’t have the confidence to enrol. But with some encouragement from the project worker she agreed to take a place in the stitching and sewing course.

During the one month course Rubina was able to leave her children with the project crèche while she took classes. She quickly excelled and after she graduated from the course Rubina was stitching pillows and curtains to a professional standard. But without a sewing machine of her own Rubina couldn’t practise or use her new skills at home.

The course teacher was able to lend Rubina an old sewing machine so she could practise until she was in a position to buy a machine of her own.  After a few months Rubina’s husband agreed to pay the money to buy a new sewing machine. It wasn’t long before Rubina was bringing in income from orders from the neighbouring villages.  

Without the project and its supporters Rubina would not have found the confidence to learn a new skill and earn income of her own. She is extremely grateful for the opportunity this has afforded her.