Stichting Veldwerk at Nepal

Secretariaat: Stichting Veldwerk Postbus 163 1850 AD Heiloo The Netherlands

Tel:+31 (0)72-5339585 veldwerk@gmail.com IBAN nr. NL51ABNA0543703266 Attn. Stichting Veldwerk, p/a Egmond binnen Bank: ABN-Amro 543703266

Child Labour in Nepal

Child Labour is a very common fact in Nepal. At a very young age, children start working. In the beginning they start in the family surrounding with carrying grass and branches for the goats. Rapidly the heavy water cans follow to carry water from the spring or very heavy bags of rice which have to be carried to the mill or the market.

Due to the fact that only little money has been earned by the work mentioned above, the children also have to work for other people or companies.Think about carrying goods, working in stone factories where havy parts of clays are baked to bricks or in weaveries.

A child works 12 hours a day, from 6 till 6. During this long and heavy working day he or she earns 25 to 50 Euro cent. In most cases the employer complains about the child and as a fact he does not pay the child. It is not fair, but unfortenately it happens too often.
The work as described above take place in cities or industry areas. In the remote mountain areas of Nepal, no industry areas or stone factories exist. However a lot of rivers beddings with boulders and stones exist. These are good building materials, buts the boulders first have to be destroyed to gravel. The gravel has been used for road manufacturing and concrete constructions in the cities.

In Nepal, 32000 children are every working to chop boulders into little stones. It is heavy, boring and dangerous work. Due to the fact that little stone parts can come into their faces. However no other opportunaties exists to earn money. The families are poor, coming from the low casts and do not possess any land. The children are not ablo to go to school and HAVE to work to have money to buy food.

These are horrible situations, but no other possibilty exists.
Or does it?

Stichting Veldwerk has contact with the lokal organization CONCERN, which airms to take care of the rights of children regarding education, shelter and food and the possibility to be a child. Playing and having friends just like in the rich West part of the world.

Concern made a proposal to give a part of the 32000 children a better future. Stichting Veldwerk wants to help to realize the proposed goals. Beside eduction for the child, we also examine the living conditions of the family of the child. Together with the inhabitants, a comitee has been created that comes up for the rights of poor people. After evaluating the family circumstances, a training has been facilitated in producing fruits and vegetables for sale.

Afterwards a micro credit has to be been granted to start little business to generate extra income. The micro credit has been arranged by a small bank. The people can use this bank for saving their extra money or to apply for some extra credit for expanding their business.

So, our help to the stone carrying children beside the river goes further than education of the children. The related family has been helped too en the family situation can be improved.

The complete proposal to free the children from this horrible situation are enclosed here as soon a possible. Including the proposed costs.

Till soon, René Veldt.