2009 Awards
Africa
Liberia—ANPACAN: Education Campaign Against Child Labor Using Peer Educators
Child labor in Liberia is widespread due largely to war, poverty and the general breakdown of social services. Children and youth work in activities as domestic labor, farms, plantations (including rubber) and other businesses. However, other forms of work that children can be found in is street labor, portering heavy loads, selling, begging and used for criminal activity and hard labor. The project funded will train 25 peer educators on issues of child protection, child labor and advocacy. These peer educators will serve as a catalyst for social change influencing their peers regarding the elimination of child labor. They will advocate for ILO Convention 182 on the Elimination of the worst forms of child labor and ratification of ILO Convention 138 on establishing the Minimum Age of Work. This will be achieved through peer educators conducting role plays, debates, drawing, and quizzing on child labor issues throughout their communities. Through these activities, the elimination of child labor will be mainstreamed in advocating for policy reforms and the protection of child against child labor. A training manual for peer educators will be developed as well as scripts for plays and topics for debates.
Emily’s impressions: Emily would love this project and the idea of empowering peer educators to be part of the training. She spent many years working with and educating disadvantaged children to better their lives and opportunities, and to be a catalyst for change.
Asia / Near East
Yemen—CHF: Using Art to Educate Children About Child Labor
Yemen is one of the poorest and least developed countries in the world, and has one of the highest population growth rates, with more than 46% of the population younger than 15 years of age. It is estimated that more than 10% of children work in hazardous conditions, many starting by age 7, in agriculture, fishing, and trafficking of goods and children across borders. Primary factors for the high incidence of child labor in Yemen include low quality education, inadequate social protection, and a social acceptance of child labor as a means for families to escape dire poverty. CHF Yemen’s activities to conduct outreach campaigns and events, some funded through a prior Emily grant, were very successful inspiring children, parents, local sheikhs and businessmen to assist with withdrawing children from child labor and helping them to access quality education. Building on the success, the Emily grant will support the organization of a follow-up art event with working children. The art project will engage 40 Yemeni working children giving them the opportunity to use paint, pencils, and photography and film, encouraging children to document their own lives for worldwide audiences. Through artistic expression and media, the children can share their understanding, their experiences, their concerns, and their dreams with other children.
Emily’s impressions: Emily had done many of these activities in US schools to educate children about International child labor issues. She would be very enthusiastic about this project and its educational value for US and Yemen’s children.
North America
United States—Media Voices for Children: Production of Video on Child Labor in Agriculture
Media Voices for Children is committed to using the internet and the power of social networking and distributed media to build a network of activists and activity, reaching the mainstream media, educational community and the general public. MVC is in the process of producing a video entitled, “The Harvest.” This video will describe the plight of Americas migrant child farm laborers, working in the fields in the United States. The video highlights the conditions and needs of these children and their hopes of one day achieving an education so that they can leave the fields for a better life. The video also describes the inequity of the laws in the US for these children lacking in equal protection that is afforded other children. Children working in agriculture in the US continue to struggle under a patchwork of state regulations and a nearly complete lack of federal protection. They are working long hours in the hot sun, picking our fruits and vegetables, exposed to dangerous working conditions and pesticides, and struggling to stay in and complete school. The result is a permanent underclass of children living at or below the poverty line. Emily’s grant will provide a small support to assist Media Voices for Children to complete their work on the video.
Emily’s impressions: This project would be very dear to Emily’s heart. She had been very interested to set up a position as a teacher to migrant farmworker children .Again she would feel that a video is a wonderful tool to educate about the issue and dangers for migrant child laborers.
South America
Peru—Paul Robert Kowalcyzk: Production of Promotional Materials for Video and Workshop on Child Labor
Due to high poverty rates, neglect and exploitation, the region of Cajamarca, Peru, has one of the highest percentages of child laborers and domestic workers in Peru. Paul, together with member institutions from both the public and private sector, especially the Programa Educadores de Calle (PEC) & Asociación Mujer Familia (AMF), are all members of a regional committee, CEREPETI, which is dedicated to the prevention and eradication of child labor in all of its nefarious forms. Their efforts have produced two educational, social theater, videos entitled, Niño Trabajador and Historia de Una Niña Trabajadora. Members use the videos as part of a workshop to train children, parents, teachers and other professionals about the risks and consequences of child labor as well as the national and international laws in place which protect children and adolescents against dangerous child labor practices. Trained individuals from around the region of Cajamarca are provided with resource material and copies of the videos so that they may, in turn, replicate the workshop with additional participants, thus making their efforts more sustainable. The project has advanced considerably, however, more needs to be done to build upon its success and expand the availability of this valuable resource. Emily`s grant will support the cost of producing 350 additional copies of the educational videos, including cases, labels and educational inserts. This will allow a continuation of the workshops that provide awareness and take steps toward the prevention of child labor in the region of Cajamarca, Peru.
Emily’s impressions: Emily would love this project. It uses creativity and drama to portray the dangers of child labor. She strongly believed in the effective use of video and music to educate about child labor issues.