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I have been working with the issue of child labor for the past four
years. My specific areas of focus are street vendors, child laborers
in sweatshops, and more recently, the issue of children in armed
conflict. I first became involved with child labor issues when I
attended the UN Student Conference on Human Rights in New York City on
December 7, 1999. At the conference, I was one of the delegates who
worked on a plan of action to end child labor. The people that I met
at the conference, my family’s strong faith, and my belief that we
should use our blessings to help others inspired me to become an
activist on child labor.
I started a KCFTC group at my church in Syracuse, New York. KCFTC is
an international network of children helping children through
leadership, education, and action. Through various fundraisers (bake
sales, Winterfest, Bowl-a-thon, raffles, etc.) our group raised $7000
to build schools in Tanzania and Latin America. Our current project is
to raise $60-80,000 to help build a rehabilitation center for child
soldiers in Kenya. This is a collaborative project among the Kids Can
Free the Children chapters of New York State.
Not only has our group raised money but we have also focused on
spreading awareness. Along with four other KCFTC chapters in New York
State, we organized a regional conference on April 13, 2002. All the
workshops were led by young people. Over 300 youth from New York,
Massachusetts, Quebec, and Ontario attended. The conference generated
interest in child labor issues among various youth across the state.
The students at the conference inspired me and made me realize that
what we were doing was really making a difference in people’s lives.
As a group, we have spoken to over 100 schools, churches, conferences,
youth groups, etc. to spread awareness of the issue of child labor and
poverty around the world. Each speaking engagement not only helps to
educate, but also encourages the groups to hold fundraisers for the
various projects that help child laborers. We have also done numerous
school and health kit drives for children who live in poverty. I have
been the president of the group since 2001.
Over the last four years, I have been fortunate to have participated
in various opportunities for leadership experiences. In August 2000
and 2002, I attended the Leaders Today Toronto Summer Leadership
Academy. Not only did I meet people from all over the world, but I
also learned valuable leadership tools. I went through intense public
speaking training and learned skills such as working with the media.
In addition, I attended two National Labor Committee Sweat-free
Schools Conferences, one in November 2002 and another in 2003 in which
I led one of the workshops. These experiences are preparing me to be
more effective in advocating that our local schools buy apparel and
sports equipment not made in sweatshops.
The best hands-on leadership opportunity I had was organizing the
statewide Kids Can Free the Children Conference. I learned how to work
as a team member and how to lead a large group of over 300 people. I
found it to be an absolutely amazing experience from all aspects!
I have had the opportunity to travel to Mexico, Peru, and Ecuador to
see extreme poverty first hand. I traveled to Mexico on the New York
State Labor Religion Coalition Youth Delegation in February of 2001. I
met children as young as 12 who work in sweatshops 14 hours a day, six
days a week, and only receive $30 a week. This experience helped me to
better convey child labor issues during speaking engagements. Border
Witness, a book written with the perspective of the youth
delegates, was also published about the children and families we met
in Mexico. It was a wonderful way to share my experience with a great
number of others.
I went to Peru with my family for three weeks this past summer. I had
the opportunity to interview child laborers in the cities of Cuzco and
Lima. I met kids as young as three who sold postcards and finger
puppets on the streets of Peru for 14 hours a day, seven days a week.
The most amazing experience I had in Peru was the opportunity to spend
time with the children from the Monseñor Julio Gonzales Ruiz School
in Lima. This was a school for child laborers who worked in the local
market. The school was started by child laborers who wanted the
opportunity to go to school. They started an organization called
Manthoc and out of this organization the opportunity of education
came. From Peru, I flew to Ecuador to participate in a leadership
experience with Ecuadorian families. I had the opportunity to stay
with families in the poor farming communities in the Andes Mountains.
I taught English in the schools that we visited. I did things that I
never dreamed of doing, such as eating guinea pig and riding through
the clouds on a donkey. I learned so much from the people I met there.
Even though they have very little, they are always smiling and
optimistic. The people, especially the children, I met changed my life
and inspired me to work even harder to change the world.
I have had the opportunity to attend many conferences and give many
presentations on the issue of child labor and my travels to Mexico,
Peru, and Ecuador. I have spoken to over 60 schools, youth groups,
churches, and teacher organizations. In May of 2002, I led a workshop
on Mexican children, education, and poverty issues at the UN Special
Session on Children. I participated in the International Free the
Children Conference in Toronto in August of 2002 in which
approximately 30 students helped set the next year’s agenda. I have
also had the amazing experience to hear sweatshop workers from
Bangladesh and Honduras speak about their lives.
Recently, I was given an award by the New York State Council of
Catholic Charities Directors for advocacy on child labor issues. The
New York State Assembly and Senate also recognized my work on behalf
of child laborers in legislative resolutions. The publicity from these
awards have helped further the cause of child labor issues.
The Children’s World Congress would be an awesome way
to advance my knowledge on the issues of child labor around the world.
It would be amazing and inspiring to meet people from all around the
world who are motivated to change the world. It would be very
interesting to collaborate with child laborers and hear their
viewpoints concerning the best ways to help child laborers around the
world. I would be able to learn about new cultures and have a better
understanding of the issues I have been learning about. It would be an
honor to help form a national action plan and represent my country at
the World Youth Congress.
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