Global Issues - Child Labor

I've decided to expand this blog to also include information on some global issues.

126 million children worldwide are subject to child labor. Child labor refers to the employment of children for work that deprives them of childhood and an opportunity for an education. This harms the children physically, mentally, and socially. Oftentimes, the children subject to child labor do not have a choice. Some have to support their family financially, and others were forced to work for others.

Children operating a spinning machine

During the Industrial Revolution, children as young as the age of six were employed in factories for little to no pay. Oftentimes, the factory owner would get away with not paying them nothing. Sometimes, the children would work up to 19 hours a day, with only a one-hour break in between. Not only were these children subject to long hours of work, but they also worked in dangerous, and often fatal, conditions. Large and heavy equipment surrounds the children as they work. An accident can cause a major injury, and possibly even death. Part of the reason that children were used in factories was because they had more nimble and agile fingers than adults. For example, the children can easily tie tight knots in a carpet industry. The treatment of the children in factories during the Industrial Revolution was often cruel. The people whom the children serve with would often physically or verbally abuse them. Furthermore, punishments such as having to carry a heavy weight on their neck would be given to the children who accidentally mess up when they work. Finally, in 1912, the Children's Bureau made it the US government's responsibility to monitor child labor. Then in 1916, the US Congress was pressured into passing the Keating-Owen Act. This was the first federal child labor law. It prohibited the sale in commerce of goods produced by factories that employed children under the age of 14. However, this act was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. So, in 1938, President Franklin Roosevelt signed the Fair Labor Standards Act (find out more http://prezi.com/zizqmp0mu35l/fair-labor-standards-act/). This placed limits on many forms of child labor. Any child under the age of 16 is not allowed to work in hazardous conditions. Child labor was a problem in the past, yet it still is a problem today in the present.

Child trafficking

Currently, there are children involved with trafficking, soldiering, mining and manufacturing. These are all forms of child labor. Child trafficking is also a form of slavery that involves children for exploitation. The children are considered to be merchandise and can be moved from one country to another. Examples of exploitation includes sexual exploitation, forced services, practices similar to slavery, and even the removal of organs for money. Child soldiers are involved in armed political groups. Most of the child soldiers were abducted from their families and forced to become soldiers, but some joined an armed group for a chance of survival. They are used all over the world. An example of a military group is the Lord's Resistant Army (LRA), which is found in Uganda. Child mining is dangerous work for children. Children mine for diamonds, gold, salt, stone, and other other minerals or objects. Children work both above and under ground to find gold. When they work in tunnels, they risk death from explosions and tunnel collapse. The air is filled with dust and sometimes toxic. Additionally, constant exposure to salt is unhealthy for children because salt is corrosive. Children are still involved with the manufacturing business. They face dangerous accidents and are treated cruelly and poorly by their employers. Many children suffer from loss of eyesight, constant back pains, deformation of fingers, and even lung diseases. The experiences of childhood diminished all due to the need for cheap labor. Cadbury used to use African children to gather cocoa beans for their industry. As of 2010, Cadbury no longer uses African child labor in their main chocolate range. Their most popular diary  milk range will also carry a fair trade logo to show ethical company behavior. As people who have freedom, we should use our freedom to help those who don't. Underneath this are some actions you can do to help children subject to child labor.

Child soldier

What you can do:
- Spread awareness to family, friends, and neighbors about this issue
- Sign this petition to help the children of Uzbekistan that are subject to child labor:
   http://www.change.org/petitions/tell-forever-21-to-stop-forced-child-labor-in-cotton
- Pray for the children involved in child labor



Sites Used:

http://www.compassion.com/child-advocacy/find-your-voice/quick-facts/child-labor-quick-facts.htm

http://www.ilo.org/ipec/Campaignandadvocacy/Youthinaction/C182-Youth-orientated/worstforms/lang--en/index.htm

http://www2.needham.k12.ma.us/nhs/cur/Baker_00/2002_p7/ak_p7/childlabor.html

http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=true&doc=59

http://www.ibcr.org/eng/definition_child_trafficking.html

http://listverse.com/2013/03/07/10-modern-day-forms-of-child-labor/

http://www.ilo.org/ipec/areas/Miningandquarrying/MoreaboutCLinmining/lang--en/index.htm

http://tvnz.co.nz/business-news/cadbury-drop-cocoa-made-child-labour-2946609

http://library.thinkquest.org/trio/TTQ02189/manufacturing.htm

Tai Po Organic Farm 2

On the Saturday of February 22, 2014, I went with another group of students to an organic farm in Tai Po. In total, there were 6 students that signed up for this service. All participants were from my grade. We met together at 9:00 in Tai Wo station. We took the 25K to the village where the organic farm was. We walked a distance to reach the organic farm.

Our school rented a small area for us to plant vegetables. It was an awesome opportunity for all of us. We all received a pair of gloves. First, we had to remove the small unwanted weeds/plants that were growing on our plot. We were given a hoe to help us remove those plants. If we left the plants there, they would take in all the nutrients from the soil away from the plants we are about to grow. This reminds me of the parable of the sower. It is similar to "thorny ground". It still allows the plant to grow, but the "thorns" would take in all the nutrients and eventually, cause the plants to die. In our lives, the weeds are like riches and temptations. It takes all our time and attention away from what really matters, God. Right now, I think my faith is in thorny grounds. I get distracted by all the temptations. That is why we need to remove the things that distract us (weeds). It would allow our faith to grow stronger in Christ.

Afterwards, we loosened the soil. Then we put fertilizer in the soil to help the plants grow. It looked like dark soil. The "fertilizer" in our lives would be anything that helps, not hinders, our faith in Christ. This can include reading the Bible, praying, doing devotions, going to church, listening to Christian lectures or music. We then pushed the soil up to make our plot higher, the soil looser, and to cover up the fertilizer. Then, we put bamboo sticks to guide the bitter melon plants and showing them where they should grow. So, when they grow, they won't grow all over the place, but straight, wrapping around the bamboo stick. In my life, the stick would be God. I need to wrap myself around God and make Him the center of my life. Finally, we removed baby plants from their small containers and planted them in our soil. We planted 3 different kinds of plants: romaine lettuce, bitter melon, and something else. We had to be very careful and not accidentally break or rip the roots or leaves. The plant is like our faith. It is very fragile when it is small and new. But as time passes by, our faith grows larger and stronger, like a plant, and is able to withstand more trials.

This is one of my favorite services. It constantly reminds me of my faith and trust in the Lord as I tend to those plants.

Hebrews 11:1 - Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

Tung Wah Food Bank

On February 15, 2014, I went with one other student to help out at Tung Wah Food Bank in Mong Kok. We met up at Mong Kok East train station and took a minibus to an area near the food bank. We had to walk a bit to reach the location. When we arrived, there was a guy that told us what we needed to do. We were to pack and organize food for those who came by to pick up food. People with diabetes or other special conditions would get different amounts and types of food compared to the rest of the people. Examples of food we packed included macaroni, instant noodles, luncheon meat, canned fish, canned beef, corn, canned mushrooms, backed beans, Horlick, Ovaltine, eggs, oatmeal, and milk formula. A lot of food are canned because many of the people who applied to get food either do not have a stove to cook a lot of food or are homeless. The people/families come to collect their food once every week, each time bringing home a week's worth of food. Coupons are also distributed to them to allow them to buy other kinds of food from supermarkets and other stores. After all, eating instant noodles and canned food too often is detrimental to your health. 

When we packed food for the people/families, we first would need to look at this sheet to see how much of each item we needed. Because it was in Cantonese, I had a bit of difficulty with it, but I knew most of the words and I understood it pretty quickly. We would put the food on a cart. With the person/family waiting outside, we would push the cart down into the waiting area and help them put it in the bags they brought. For the first timers, we would provide the bags for them. In total, I think I helped pack food for 6-8 people/families.

When we had time, we helped restock the shelves neatly. We opened cardboard boxes with the help of scissors and took the food out to stack on the shelves. We also organized bags of 2kg rice.

Overall, this service has taught me to be thankful for the food I have. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have enough money to buy good, healthy food for consumption. This service was fun and enjoyable. I am sad to know that they are soon moving somewhere else, but I hope that I can serve in another food bank in the future.