It’s hard to believe, but child labor is still an issue in the 21st century.
In impoverished communities around the world, children — some as young as 5 — are forced to work long, hard days in fields and factories just to help their families make ends meet.
Going to school, playing with friends, and choosing teams for sports are just daydreams for these kids. And if they can’t afford to go to school, these low-paying jobs are their only future — and the cycle of poverty continues. Education is the one thing that can help them escape.
Right now, there are children who wake up every morning and grab a shovel or a hoe instead of a backpack. Culture and tradition in Kikooba, Uganda, have forced young boys and girls into child labor for years; it’s simply their way of life. With no other options, the kids spend hours tending gardens or herding cattle every day.
The United Nations has declared today as World Day Against Child Labor. The theme for this year is “Children shouldn’t work in fields, but on dreams!” The goal? To take steps toward eradicating child labor by reducing poverty and getting kids all over the world into schools.
The good news for boys and girls in Kikooba is there is a new school in their community.
However, without sponsorship, little girls like Sylvia cannot attend, and that means she can’t dream big dreams for herself.
Sylvia’s parents are day laborers. They do their best to find odd jobs around their village like clearing fields, planting crops, doing laundry, or laying bricks. But between the two of them, they can never seem to earn enough to provide for their children.
In most cases, parents in these situations have no other options but to put their children to work in the fields, laboring in the hot sun … watching their childhood slip away.
Girls like 8-year-old Sylvia have to grow up way before their time.
But Sylvia’s parents wanted better for her. They didn’t want her to struggle doing backbreaking work the rest of her life. They wanted to send her to school; but, they can’t afford food, let alone school fees and supplies
There was just one way Sylvia could get an education and escape a life of poverty … sponsorship.
Sponsorship allows children in Kikooba to go to school, eat nutritious food, get medical checkups, and dream of a different future. And after classes are over, they can go outside, laugh, and play.
A child can be a child.
Sylvia wants to grow up to become a nurse. She loves helping other people, and she wants to be able to take care of her own parents, as well. But nursing requires a lot of schooling — and schooling takes money. Sylvia wants to better her life, but she can’t do it without help.
Will you sponsor a child in Sylvia’s village today? For $35 a month, you can help a child in Kikooba receive an education instead of working in the fields.
By becoming a sponsor, you’re helping a child like Sylvia dream, grow, and have a healthy childhood.