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Ranjuthkumar, India
Ranjuthkumar was born into a very poor family. He attended school until he was 10 years old. Last year, his father felt there was no other option but to sell him into bonded labour for a mere 5000 Rupees (£60). Ranjuthkumar was taken away from his parents and forced to work on a farm.
''They said looking after cattle would be my only job, but I had to work longer hours as they made me do other farm work. I was only given one meal a day. I always had to work and never had a holiday.'' Said Ranjuthkumar.
EveryChild's project workers met Ranjuthkumar and through discussions and counselling with his family and landlord, he was thankfully released from this shocking form of forced labour. Ranjuthkumar is now enjoying the childhood which was taken from him whilst he was bonded and is safely back home.
He says ''I was working in the farm for two years with great difficulty, only then I understood and realised that being in school was better. Now I am more than happy with my friends at school.''
Sok, Cambodia
Sok is only 13 years old and works eight hours a day on a farm picking vegetables. He earns 100 baht a day (about £1.50), which he gives to his step-mother so she can buy food for the family. In Cambodia children often work strenuous manual jobs to help support their family. This leaves them vulnerable to traffickers and abuse meaning there is a high risk of them being separated from their families.
EveryChild will be running non-formal education classes for children like Sok to enable them to access education at flexible times. Sok went to school briefly when he was eight but was forced to drop out again after his mother died. Sok says ''I liked going to school and I would like to go to school again''.
Teleza, Malawi
Malawi has cultural traditions which exploit children and put them at risk of abuse. One tradition which needs to change is forcing young girls to marry in their early teens. Teleza is the eldest of three children. Most of Teleza's friends already have husbands and have given up school as a result. But this life is not for her. She has already received many proposals of marriage in her young life. As with the majority of girls her age, Teleza has had to fight hard to defend her right to continue with her schooling rather than marry. She has managed this with the support of EveryChild and is continuing her education so she can realise her dream of becoming a policewoman.
Teleza is a very intelligent and hard working girl, and her family have high hopes for her. However, she receives little support from them. Therefore Teleza not only works hard at school, but after a long day of learning she has to go out to work in the community, to pay for her own education.
No child should have to work or marry to support themselves. With our help and the support of our sponsors, Teleza has been able to continue her education. She is now encouraging her friends and peers to do the same.