Say NO to Child Labour (fwd)

[nin@xxxxxx]

Subject: Say NO to Child Labour

 Dear friend, 
 
 This festive season and for the other festivals to come, we are requesting 
 you to be a part of a peoples' movement for children's rights. 
 
    111 million child labourers in India 
    1,00,000 children work in the firework and match industries of Sivakasi 
    They work from age of 3 onwards 
    Wages paid are Rs. 10-15 per day 
    They work for 16-18 hours a day 
 
 India has the largest number of working children in the world. 
 A high proportion of these work in hazardous industries like 
 glass, metal, matches and firecrackers. 
 
 Children leave their homes well before the sun is up, not to go 
 to school, but to get to dark, dingy sheds which serve as 
 fireworks manufacturing units. As they work there is no 
 respite for their sore limbs and burning eyes for if they 
 stop there will be deductions from their meagre daily wage. 
 As well as the process of making the firecrackers has to be 
 continuous. Because even a break of a fraction of a second 
 could set the whole factory up in a balze, endangering the 
 lives of these little children. 
 
 These statistics motivated the youth volunteers of CRY - Child Relief and You, 
 to do something about this seemingly hopeless situation of child 
 labourers. Since Diwali is round the corner, we are focusing on a 
 CAMPAIGN which aims at: 
 
 * creating awareness on child labour especially the fireworks industry 
 * convince children in schools and colleges and people in general not to use 
   firecrackers made by children 
 * motivate them to work for the rights of underprivileged children 
 
 So we ask YOU to join us in this movement to provide these 
 vulnerable children their basic right - to read, write, play 
 and have a healthy and happy childhood. 
 
 On October 15, 1998 from 5.30 pm onwards, at Azad Maidan, Mumbai, India 
 each one of us who support this Campaign can come and light a 'diya' 
 and take a pledge to join this free-a-child movement and become 
 freedom fighters for children's rights. 
 
 And for those who cannot make it to this gathering, be part of it by 
 lighting a 'diya' wherever you are. 
 
 Send this message to your friends and relatives who will be 
 freedom fighters for children's rights 
 
 For details: email us at crymum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
 visit the CRY website - www.cry.org - the CRY section-what's new 
 ( http://www.cry.org/cry/whatsnew.htm ). 
 
 Thank You 
 
 CRY-CHILD RELIEF AND YOU 
 
 http://www.cry.org/