Why are we doing this?

Being part of Service Learning Program (SLP), we get to understand various social problems and our roles and responsibility towards solving them. As we discussed Child Labour in one of the sessions, I realized this was one of the big problems in my community. I could relate to it because even I had faced it in some form. However, I could never understand who is responsible for it?

My summer internship at SLP was an opportunity for to find an answer to my question. I worked with Pratham Council of Vulnerable Children (PCVC) which works for the children who are working in areas such as Leather factories and streets. These children were under 14 years of age. During my work with PCVC, I helped the team to rescue children and give them better education. My role in the internship was to do the surveys and talk to those children. While talking to them, I found the external answer to my question – who is responsible for child labour? Of many things, I realized the important reasons were the condition of children, their background and poverty. But there was something more to it. I had to find that too.

After completing my internship for a month, I thought the key to my main question is still missing. I started expanding my question. First, I thought about myself. Why was I engaged in child labour? Who is responsible for it? When I asked these questions, I started understanding more. I realized the key was with me and I was searching in others’ pocket. I realized I worked because I thought it was my responsibility to take care of my family. But then I thought, what is the responsibility of the guardians of children who work? I questioned if whatever I was doing will help me grow in future? What does the word “responsibility” mean? Is working in the age of fourteen my responsibility? What is my responsibility to my family? What is my responsibility to my life? Who will answer these questions?

Through our project, I and my friend Akash Gaikwad are trying to find these answers. The main purpose of our project is to create awareness about the condition of children who are working, their thoughts and views on their condition and understand who is responsible for what happens to these children in our society.