Help 1,000 children Learn not Earn

Venkat, a 16-year-old boy from a small village in Andhra Pradesh, was the only child of daily wage labourers. He travelled 6 km each day on his bicycle to attend the local government high school in Machilipatnam. As he entered 10th grade, the CRY UK project team initiated focused interventions to help him prepare for his public exams. Venkat was confident, but to everyone's surprise, he failed in two subjects - Mathematics and Science, by just a few marks. He attempted supplementary exams but failed again. Disheartened, he lost interest in his studies and eventually became a seasonal child labourer.

Seeing Venkat's potential fade away, the project team were determined to not give up. They engaged in conversations with his parents, explaining that failure in exams should not define Venkat's future. Through persistent, empathetic discussions, they helped his parents realize the importance of education over short-term income from labour. The team supported Venkat in enrolling in a free tuition program led by older students and offered him emotional and moral support.

With renewed confidence, Venkat appeared for the supplementary exams once more and passed with flying colours, scoring a total of 356 marks. This success reignited his dreams, and he enrolled in the Intermediate MEC (Maths, Economics, and Commerce) group at a private school, with financial support from the government.

Now, Venkat attends college regularly, aspiring to become a police officer. He feels grateful for the unwavering support that has turned his failure into a promising future, and his parents are proud of his ambition.

Your support can transform the lives of children like Venkat, giving them hope and a chance for a brighter future.

Here is a story that shows how supporting our campaign towards ending child labour has helped a little girl Krisha (name changed to protect the child's identity) be rescued from chiid labour and get back to studies.

In a small village, Krisha*, a 14-year-old eighth-grade student, lived with her family. Their village was home to a close-knit tribal community, and her family's livelihood depended on her father's daily wage labour. However, as winter approached, work became scarce, and they struggled to afford two meals a day.

To help her family, Krisha was forced to work at a nearby brick kiln, sacrificing her education. Her absence from school was noticed during an adolescent group meeting, prompting project team members to visit her home.

After assessing their situation, the CRY project team, along with village officials, prepared an application. They requested ration support for her family, citing food scarcity as the reason for her interrupted education. The application was submitted through the CRY’s Kishori group.

The village head promptly responded to the request. Rations were provided to her family through the public distribution system, ensuring they had enough to eat. With the project team’s support, Krisha returned to school. The project team also helped her family apply for an MNREGA job card to secure more stable employment.

Collective efforts made a difference in Krisha’s life, demonstrating the power of community support and practical solutions to challenges. We at CRY ensure to work towards the root cause of the problem to provide a sustainable solution for children.

We thank our donors for their support and look forward to their continued support in helping our projects reach out to many more children like Krisha who get trapped in the vicious circle of child labour every day.

Links:

• CRY UK Blog on our work towards ending child labour