Last Friday I went to the Amnesty International event I mentioned previously and I learned more about the Bornfree Art School and the condition of working children in India. We heard a talk by the director of the school, listened to some music, watched a pantomime, and heard the stories of three boys who were former street children. We also looked at an exhibition of photos taken by one of the boys. (You can see some photos by clicking on the link at the right.)
After the event I spoke to the director, John Devaraj. In addition to the Amnesty International event, the group is visiting many schools in Japan, including Meiji Gakuin. (In fact, some of the Meigaku students attended the Amnesty International event, too.) I asked him if they were planning to return to Japan in the future, and he said yes, probably next year... so I asked him if they would like to visit Ferris, and he said yes! So if everything works out, they might visit us next year.
FACTS:
Of the 246 million working children in the world, 127 million work in India.
There is a town called Malur on the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border, which is famous for growing roses. These roses are exported to places like Holland and Japan. Unfortunately, many of the people who work on the rose farms are children. In fact, 1,000 young girls are working hard picking roses every day. They get paid very little for their work, while we enjoy the fruit of their labor. I love roses, but when I heard this it made me very sad.
What can we do? Well, one thing we can do is support businesses that are Fair Trade certified. (That guarantees that no child labor is used, and also guarantees fair wages to adults, so that their children can go to school instead of work.) Another thing we can do is buy flowers grown in Japan. When we buy domestically produced goods, we help Japanese farmers and help save the environment, too. Flowers grown nearby don't have to fly long distances on an airplane. Of course we know that airplanes produce a huge amount of CO2.
12 comments:
When I went to the Philippines, I saw many street children.
some children didn't have parents, so they worked hard and asked for foods and money for their life.
I was less than 10yrs old then,and I was really shocked to see them because they seemed like same age as me...
There are many street children still now in the Philippines, too...
I'm happay to hear that the group will visit our school next year because I really wanted to participate in that event but I couldn't. I'm looking forward to seeing them!!
It is a sad fact that there are many working children in the world.
I am really interested in developing country and want to help people who live such countries because I am blessed with a happy home environment. However I don't have a good idea for them. I think your idea is so good for childeren in India.
This week, in Ferris, it's a Fair Trade Week isnt't it? I will buy some cookies tomorrow!! Because to do this is a thing that I can do now!!
Chinami
It should be something very special to talk with some people directly like the boys you talked in Kamakura last Friday.
Thank you for sharing the information and the stories. That makes us imagin many things.
Imaging from high-technology in India, I tend to get India as a developed country, with no children worker, so the information you shared is really shocking thing for me.
I think the reason we can't solve this problem easily is what we can do is not so easy for people to do.Even for me, taking part in Ferris Fair Trade(FFT), it's not so easy to buy expensive FT
thing.
We've got to have more effective solution, like the one people can feel what they do is really effective.
Last year of your class, I heard "fair trade" for the first time and I lerned many things about FT.(Thank you very much!!) FT has many good points so I tell my friends who don't know about it many times. I'm interested about working children very much. I should find some thing I can do.
I heard that many child labors are working for their lives. Even in rich country, there are child workers.
Fortunately, in Japan, we rarely have them. However, We sholud know more and support for them.
Fair Trade is good for it.
By the way, I bought Fair Trade cookies at Ferris. It was really delicious and I felt happy.
I want to help the child labor soon.Of course I can buy some fair-trade goods, but I also think that helping poor people in Japan is also important.Both of them are important,I think.
That fact made me sad when I read it. We should carry out everything what we can do for poor children all over the world.
I don't know the best way to save them. Fair Trade is one of it, I think, but it's difficult to buy Fair Trade expensive goods(as Misa said).
When I was a elementary school student, there was a week that we raised money for UNICEF.
For saving poor children and enviroment, I'll start what I can do.
I am really looking forward to meeting them at ferri university. So, when they come to ferris, please introduce us.
I didn't know that many roses were imported from India to Japan, and many children were working on the rose farms. Life has tears as every rose has its thorns.The gap between the rich and the poor has widened, not narrowed.
Now, it is familiar to hear the word "Fair Trade" since I entered College. I think it is great, isnt it?
and You are the one of person who make me so. Thanks you!!
after i learn sbout fair trade in your class, i often hear the words of fair trade in various place.
people come to interested in FT, i think!
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