Getting vulnerable kids out of forced labour and into school

This month we embarked on a mission to tackle the pressing issue of child labour in Kotdwara. In collaboration with the local Police Anti-Child Labour Department and Child Welfare Committee, our students organised a powerful street play which was performed in multiple locations across the city. The play not only aimed to raise awareness about child labour but also to advocate for increased access to education for children in our community. Through our performance, we aimed to raise awareness among community members about the detrimental effects of child labour and the importance of education for all children. We certainly drew a large crowd of interested spectators and even gained media attention which can be viewed on this clip LINK HERE

Child labour across India continues to be a grave concern, especially in the cities where we work. Many young children are forced to work in shops instead of attending school due to financial hardships caused by the COVID pandemic and the current escalation of the price of food and basic commodities. Families devastated by the cost of living often find themselves relying on the earnings of their children, robbing them of their right to education and a brighter future. The situation demands immediate attention as we anticipate the situation will only worsen - especially as the price of food rises.

The student’s street play has already had an impact by engaging quite a wide audience and igniting conversations about child labour and its consequences. We have seen increased awareness, empathy and positive conversations in the community, which is the first step towards change.

To support this further, members of the Project Help Team worked with the police to visit restaurants, shops and factories where child labour is believed to be happening. One child last week was removed from a small shop near to the railway station by the police and Project Help is working with the parents to have the boy enrolled at a school. The trouble is that the parents have no intention of sending him to school, so it’s a very tricky situation trying to get the parents to understand the importance of school and education.

Our work however, is far from over. To achieve lasting transformation, we would value your support.

How You Can Help

1.     Donate: Your generous contributions will enable us to expand our initiatives and reach a wider audience. Every donation, no matter how small, will make a difference in the lives of these children.

2.     Volunteer: Join us in our efforts to combat child labour by volunteering your time and skills. You could assist by organising an awareness campaign -your support is invaluable.

3.     Spread the Word: Share our cause and the stories of these children on social media platforms, in your schools, community, and with your friends and family. The more people we reach, the greater our impact will be. Use the hashtags #EndChildLabor and #EducationForAll to join the conversation online.

Together, we can make a difference in the lives of vulnerable young children who are denied the chance to receive an education and thrive. By supporting our cause through donations, volunteering, or spreading awareness, you are taking a vital step towards helping us to end child labour in our town. Let's create a future where all children have the opportunity to learn, grow, and build a brighter tomorrow. Join us in this important journey!

Thank you for your support.

Grateful for a tummy full

In 2022 ‘Project Help India’ served 118 000 meals to children

As well as the education they receive, each one of our students is given a daily nutritious meal. We employ a cook at each of our centres. For most of these children this is their main meal for the day. 

These kids below (July 1, 2023) are from our Village Parmawala Centre where 45 children attend every day.

Savitri Devi is our cook at this centre.



 

What hope looks like for a 10 year old (Vishal's Inspiring Story)

When you’re ten years old, how do you make sense of a life of poverty and yet be filled with optimism and confidence for the future? This is what hope looks like for Vishal.

Not only is Vishal believing in his personal success, but he is looking beyond to how he can make a difference to the lives of other children like him and to bring about long term change in his village. We are so proud of this great kid!

I am Vishal and I am 10 years old. I live in Parmawala Village in the Indian jungle. I’m in Grade 3 at school. My favourite thing is football but mostly we do not have a ball to play with because the big boys steal it. I go to the Project Help Education Centre where there are 48 kids of all ages in my class. Some of us go to the government school during the day but I don’t go all the time, especially during the monsoon rains and when it’s too hot. My feet get blisters which do not go away quickly, so I do not like walking. Sometimes after I walk the long distance even my teacher is mostly not there, so instead I would rather be playing with my friends all day long.

At first I didn’t want to go to Project Help but my mother made me go. I wanted to be with my friends instead, where we would hang and not do much and just make a football, or tease the cattle and get into trouble. But now I realise that when I study hard I can hope to see my dreams come true.

As I told you I am from Parmawala Village which is a very poor place in the jungles. Here most people do not know about us except for Project Help. I live in a very small hut with my mother, my father, my brother and sister. They all work hard to keep us surviving every day. My mother stays inside the house and she is ill most of the time. When she has energy she will cook and do hard work housekeeping too. My sister and brother are labourers in other people’s fields, maybe they will not even earn 100 rupees ($2AUS) a day. My father is also a labourer in the fields and he has short luck in his life. Now he mostly spends all the money by getting drunk and he quarrels at the end of the day. I stay away from him when he is like this but it is difficult when I am trying to get to sleep.

So my mother insisted I go to the Project Help Centre where my teacher is Rakhi. I think she is kind and beautiful and I love her. At first I was naughty and cheeky but Rakhi was patient and keeped on smiling. She did not hit me with the stick like the teacher at the government school. Instead Rakhi asked me to help her to clean and tidy the class before and after our lessons along with some of the other children. I feel very proud and important for Rakhi to give me this responsibility so I want to work hard for her in my studies too.  

Because of my hard work I am learning more things and achieving higher grades. My mother is very proud of me and she says I am changing to be a happy and more responsible boy. I want to achieve my dream for her which is to become a police officer. I want to help make our village known and not forgotten by the world. I will also keep cleaning my village to make all people proud of our location. If I concentrate in my studies I can be successful in the future too, and make the government help kids like me, so they can achieve their dreams too. I hope for this day to come with pride and confidence in myself. My mother and I thank Rakhi and Project Help for making this happen in my life.

The mission of Project help India is to bring love, hope, dignity and purpose to the poor in India. In Vishal’s story see how his education, which comes packaged with love, care, nurture, a sense of belonging and being valued by his teacher and others, is changing his life.

Thank you to our supporters for your significant part in making this possible for Vishal and the many other children who attend one of our thirteen Project Help India education centres. As Desmond Tutu famously stated;

Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.

Village Parmawala and Rakhi with her class (below)

Love is in the Air

Sharing some photos of precious moments and big smiles when some of the student’s mothers visited our learning centres for Mothers’ Day. The children were very excited and there was a lot of love in the air. A huge shout out to our teachers who made all of this possible - you are the best, thank you!

A Mother's Hope (Bringing Hope: Pt 4)

On Mother's Day, we honour and celebrate the amazing mothers and women in our lives who love and sacrifice for us to flourish and live our best lives. Despite their differences, mothers around the world share a common hope for their children's future.

The stories of these four remarkable women remind us of this common bond, as they daily face extreme hardship due to poverty and limited resources. They worry about their children's future and recognise that education is key to a better life, free from hunger and desperation. Each of these mums is an inspiration and an example of the power of sacrificial love, resilience, strength and determination.

These mothers are grateful for the opportunity provided by a Project Help Education Centre, where their children receive not only an education but also safety, love, and nutritious daily meals.

This Mother's Day, we extend our heartfelt appreciation to the mothers of over 670 children who attend our centres five days a week. It is a privilege to care for and educate their children, and we will continue to do so with dedication and passion.

Anita hopes that her daughters will become literate and lead a good life

Anita Kaur, a mother of four daughters, faces financial and safety challenges due to her drug-addict husband in Katora, in the state of Punjab. Her hope for her daughters' education and future was reignited by Project Help's new school last November. Despite difficulties, the girls are excelling and receiving their first-ever school experience, giving Anita hope for a better life.

Pinki hopes that her children will have a better quality of life

Pinki, a mother of five daughters, lives in a dilapidated house without a roof in Kotdwara slum. Her husband is a daily wage labourer, and she struggles to provide for her family. However, Pinki has hope for her children's future through Project Help, hoping that quality education will change their lives for the better.

Poonam hopes that her children don't have to experience the same desperate struggles she has had to endure

Poonam, a mother of five, lives with her family in a small room without a roof in Bijnor in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Despite their struggles, Poonam and her husband work hard to provide for their family and ensure their children receive an education. Their hope is that their children can lead successful and happy lives, free from the struggles they have faced.

Umila hopes that her children will live a life that is safe and free from the negative effects of their father's addictions

Urmila and her family live in extreme poverty in the Kotdwara slum. Her husband's addiction and association with criminals often leads to domestic violence and leaves the family with no money for basic needs. Despite the challenges, Urmila dreams of providing her children with the best education and hopes that it will help break the cycle of violence and give them a better future.

Images from left to right - Anita, Pinki, Poonam and Umila

The Hope of a Mother - Anita's Story

Mrs. Anita Kaur, a 28-year-old mother of four daughters, lives in the village of Katora, Punjab where in Novemeber 22, Project Help India started a new school. Her daughters who attend our Centre are Mehkdeep (studying in 5th standard), Harpreet (studying in 4th standard), and Seerat (studying in 1st standard). The little one is too young to attend school yet.

Anita's husband is a drug addict who has started injecting, putting the children's safety at risk. Recently, there has been frequent fighting in the house over money. Whatever money her husband earns, he spends it all on drugs, leaving the household expenses to be covered by Anita's income, earned through working in people's homes. Running the household is a great difficulty for her, as the house is in a very poor and dirty condition, and the family does not get good food to eat. Anita is always living in fear because of her husband's addiction.

Anita was very concerned about her daughters' education and had been feeling hopeless about their future until she heard about the new Project Help Centre towards the end of last year. She started sending her daughter Mehkdeep to the centre, and our teachers invited the other sisters to also attend. The girls are very bright in studies, and this has been their first-ever school experience.

Anita hopes that her daughters will become literate and lead a good life. She once felt desperate with no hope, but the teachers at the centre have made her feel happy, especially when she drops her children off at the centre. Whenever she gets the chance, she loves to spend time with our teacher, Mrs. Seema, who encourages her in life and parenting.

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