Katie's longest post ever - Raise your voices!

Hi all,

For the past 24 hours, I've realized what a privilege it is to have a voice. In our school, we have a program called the VOW OF SILENCE. We do this to raise awareness for the children in India, who don't have a voice. Not literally, but if these child laborers accidentally say one negative thing about laboring or complain, they are beaten or severely hurt. For example, in some cases, a man comes to your village and promises to take your child, feed them, give them an education (which many children don't have) and give your family $12 dollars. Then they basically give you none of what they promised, very little food, hide you in a terrible conditioned factory, and the smaller your fingers are, the longer you are useful to them. On top of that, you are chained to your machine, beaten if you make a mistake. No stretch time whatsoever.

In the book I’m reading, a boy named Iqbal escaped from this when he was 10, and by the time he was 12, he was only as tall and weighed as much as a normal 6 year-old – half the size he should be. He learned 6 years of schooling in 2 years in America. Before he escaped to America, he started parades in Pakistan and started telling people what was really happening to many children. Some police officers would go to inspect factories to inspect for child labor, but were threatened, or bribed with money, to cover it up. Some families would still sell one child, even if they knew they were to be labored because they were so poor. The children in his 6th grade classroom asked Iqbal’s why he would go back if he knew he was in danger, and he said, "Because I have to finish what I started." when he returned to Pakistan, he continued to tell stories about his years of child laboring, beginning at the age of 4. But some people found out, and before he could tell anyone else, he was shot in front of his grandmother’s house. This still goes on today, and if you think it's hard not to speak for a day, some children are at risk of their lives if they speak in their country.

Through my school’s project, the money collected will go to a center in India that gives children their voices back. If you are as bothered by this as I am, please think about what you can do to help.

If you’d like to take action and help hungry Americans right here in New England, please consider buying one of our products so that you can make a difference closer to home.

Loose your voice for a day and let a child speak for a lifetime. If you have a voice, think carefully about how you use it.

-Katie

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