The may contest #2 by @sduttaskitchen|child labour

Hello stemians good afternoon all
Let's talk about child labour

CHILD LABOUR — LET THE CHILDREN BREATHE

You know one thing I’ve noticed about us as a society? We’ve normalised so many wrong things that we don’t even flinch when we see them anymore. One of those things is child labour. These days, seeing a child carrying a bowl of groundnuts on her head or washing plates in a buka doesn’t move anybody. We just pass by like it’s normal. But deep down, we know it’s not.

Children are supposed to be in school, learning. Or at home, playing. Or just being free to enjoy their childhood. But instead, many of them are on the streets trying to survive. It’s not fair, and it’s not right.

To me, the biggest reason why this child labour thing is everywhere is poverty. Let’s not even argue it when a family can barely afford food, rent, or basic things, sending a child to school becomes a dream they can’t afford. So instead of staying home and watching their parents struggle, the child is pushed out to “hustle.” They start hawking, doing house help, carrying loads at the market, and all sorts. It breaks my heart every time.

But it’s not just poverty. Another major problem is that some parents don’t really understand the value of education. They think, “Why should my child waste years in school when they can start working and helping out now?” Some even brag about how they started working at age 10, as if that’s something to be proud of. They don’t realise that forcing a child to grow up too early only steals their future.

And then there’s the government. Let’s be honest if schools were truly free, if education was quality and accessible, we wouldn’t have so many children out there working. Some villages don’t even have a proper school nearby. In some places, the schools are so bad that parents just give up and send their kids to the farm or market instead.

Also, let’s not forget the people who employ these children. Some of them know exactly what they’re doing they hire kids because they can pay them peanuts, no complaints, no drama. It’s exploitation, plain and simple.

Now the question is: how do we fix this? How do we make people understand that children need education, not labour?

First off, we need to talk more about it. People can’t change what they don’t understand. We need to speak up in our communities, on radio, online, everywhere. Share stories, show examples. Let parents see what happens to children who grow up without education how hard their adult life becomes. Let’s bring real people who went through it to share their experience. That kind of thing hits different.

Social media can help too. A short video, a photo, or even just a voice note can go a long way. We need to use every platform we have to spread the message that a child’s place is in the classroom, not on the street or in someone’s kitchen.

And as for stopping or reducing child labour, I believe it starts with supporting the families. If a parent is struggling, let’s find ways to lift them up. Government programs, NGOs, church groups, even individuals who can help let’s do something. If a parent knows they have support, they’ll be more willing to let their child stay in school.

Also, make education free for real. Not just “free” on paper. Provide books, uniforms, feeding in schools if possible. Let children go to school and be excited to learn, not hungry or ashamed because they don’t have what others have.

Another thing we should stop closing our eyes when we see child labour. If you see a child working when they clearly shouldn’t be, say something. Report it if you can. Even if you don’t know what to do, just don’t keep quiet. Silence is part of the problem.

Let’s also try and empower the parents. Teach them skills. Help them start small businesses. Give them tools to stand on their feet. When a parent is doing well, the child automatically benefits. No parent truly wants to see their child suffer, they just sometimes don’t have another option.

I really believe that if we all play our part, things will get better. Maybe not overnight, but step by step. We can’t keep letting children suffer just because they were born into the wrong situation. They didn’t ask for this life. We owe it to them to create a better world.

Let’s protect their dreams. Let them breathe. Let them grow.