Child Labour Program

The Child labour Program is part of our work in the state Andhra Pradesh and was set up as a result of Interlock’s support for victims of the Tsunami. A high number of people lost their jobs because of the Tsunami and a high number of children started to work to contribute to the family income. Interlock is helping these families and sending the children back to school. Together with our partner LEADS (Legal Education and Action in Development of Society), we have leased a property for a children’s hostel and recruited teachers and helpers. The hostel and its school are attended by a high number of children, the number has increased from 90 to 182 in the last year. Here they are given two meals per day and stationary for their classes. The hostel has recently been redecorated and a new kitchen been built.
Even if families lose an income when children are removed from working, the meals offered at the hostel relieve them from aburden that they would not be able to afford and decreases the chances of school drop-out. For those children that do not have traceable family members, the hostel represents a home and an alternative to begging and rough sleeping.
Interlock believes in the principle that ‘no-one is turned away’ and has expanded the ‘one meal a day’ scheme to widows and widowers who struggle financially. These people are among the most vulnerable social categories in India and rarely receive support.
The photos below show the children at the hostel, the ceremony for the newly decorated hostel and the widows and widowers having a meal at our centre.