Demonstration of Child Labour and Abuse - By Aryan Group

Abuse:
Many of the street children who have run away from home have done so because they were beaten or sexually abused. Tragically, their homelessness can lead to further abuse through exploitative child labour and prostitution.

 

 

Not only does abuse rob runaway children of their material security, it also leaves them emotionally scarred. Many of the abused children Aryan Group encounters are traumatised and some refuse to speak for months. To aggravate matters, children often feel guilty and blame themselves for their mistreatment. Such damage can take years to recover from in even the most loving of environments; on the streets it may never heal.
A large proportion of the boys and girls in Aryan Group's homes have suffered abuse. In addition to fulfilling their material needs, we seek to provide a warm and caring atmosphere. Our vocational centres are also a safe, fun places where children gain confidence and self-esteem. We run a help line for children in need, and our staff are trained by professional counselors as well as have years of experience on how to foster the children's emotional development.

Child Labour:
Most Indian street children work. In Jaipur, a common job is rag-picking, in which boys and girls as young as 6 years old sift through garbage in order to collect recyclable material. The children usually rise before dawn and carry their heavy load in a large bag over their shoulder. Rag-pickers can be seen alongside pigs and dogs searching through trash heaps on their hands and knees.Other common jobs are collecting firewood, tending to animals, street vending, dyeing cloth, begging, prostitution and domestic labour.
Children that work are not only subject to the strains and hazards of their labour, they are also denied the education or training that could enable them to escape the poverty trap.

Aryan Group provides non-formal street schools to ensure that working children get at least a basic education. We nurture community support for our schools and seek to mainstream suitable children into the private education system. We also provide popular and practical vocational training where older children can learn skills while also earning some money.