Bright stars of social change emerge from the darkness of mica mines

New Delhi: Three youth leaders and children from Jharkhand, who were forced to live in bondage and deprivation of child labour, have emerged from the darkness of child labour to become catalysts of social change. They once toiled in the mica mines in exchange for a few morsels of food. But now they are leading the fight against child labour. Another young girl from a marginalised family is now spearheading the movement against child marriage. These four children were felicitated by Bhupender Yadav, Union Minister of Labour on the eve of June 12, the World Day Against Child Labour.

“Kailash Satyarthi is making remarkable efforts for children from across the globe. We are glad to meet the child leaders and hear about the efforts being made by them for building a child-friendly world. Society will change due to the constant efforts of these children. We will provide full support to the children in their efforts. We have visited the villages in Jharkhand and are aware of the situation on the ground,” Mr Yadav said while appreciating the efforts made by the children.

Apart from the three youth leaders from Jharkhand, four others also received appreciation from the minister. These include three former child labourers from Rajasthan: Rajesh Jatav, Amar Lal and Tara Banjara, who recently represented India in the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO’s) fifth global conference on the elimination of child labour in Durban. Other change makers, recognised for their efforts, were Payal Jangid, also from Rajasthan and Surjeet Lodhi, from Bidisha district in Madhya Pradesh, who is a recipient of the prestigious UK-based Diana award.

Nikita Kumari, from Dhab village in Koderma district, used to scavenge in the abandoned mica mines and dig out scraps from the age of eight years. She was forced to work to supplement the income of her family, comprising her parents and four siblings. She was subsequently rescued by Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA) activists-a sister organisation of Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation (KSCF)-and enrolled in a school.

At present, 21-year-old Nikita is leading the movement against child labour and child marriage. In the final year of her bachelor’s degree, she aspires to become a police officer.

“I have spent more than two years working in the mica mines. The financial situation of my family was not good. I never imagined I would get a chance to pursue education,” Nikita said.  In a voice with steely resolve, she said that she would fight against all odds to stop child labour. “Education can truly change the lives of children and is the most potent weapon in the fight against child labour,” she said.

The thriving mica industry in Jharkhand has put thousands of children at the risk of exploitation and losing their childhood. Acute poverty and impoverishment have led to children dropping out of school in large numbers and these children are often found working in illegal mines in inhumane conditions.

Since 2005, the Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation has worked in 501 villages where children are working in mica mines. At present more than 1.01 lakh vulnerable children in the mica mining regions are being protected and empowered by the foundation. KSCF has signed an MoU with the government of Jharkhand to eliminate child labour from mica mines and make Jharkhand child labour-free. KSCF aims to create a child-friendly world where children are free from all forms of exploitation including child labour, child sexual abuse, child marriage, and child trafficking. In 2016, KSCF launched a massive school enrolment drive and an intensive campaign against child labour in the mica mining areas, through its Bal Mitra Gram (BMG) or Child-Friendly Village model. The BMG is a novel experiment of Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi and works towards preventing child exploitation such as child trafficking, child labour and child marriage right at its source along with addressing other cross-cutting issues of education, child sexual abuse, water, sanitation, hygiene and livelihood.

Other former child labourers from Jharkhand, felicitated by the union minister, include Neeraj Murmu and Champa Kumari. From navigating the hazardous tunnels of mica mines to leading the fight against child labour through education, Neeraj has traversed a long path. From the age of 10 years, Neeraj risked his life daily for a few scraps of mica, which fetched him a paltry sum of Rs 5 per kg. After being rescued by the BBA and enrolled in school, Neeraj vowed to fight against child labour. He has also created a support system for his village community by helping families get linked with the state-sponsored schemes and facilitating LPG and electricity supply to households. For his selfless contributions, Neeraj received the Diana Award in 2020.

“To eke out a living and to supplement my family’s income I went to these hell holes daily. But I won’t let other children face a similar fate. By educating every child, we can fight the menace of child labour,” Neeraj said.

Yet another Diana Awardee from the state, whose efforts were appreciated by the union minister, is Champa Kumari from Jamdar village in Giridih district.

After enduring several years of child labour as a scavenger in mica mines, Champa was rescued at the age of 12 years. 16-year-old Champa now works with local authorities to eradicate child labour and prevent child marriage. Her direct intervention led to the stopping of two child marriages in her village, despite threats from the local community leaders. So far, her work has reached more than 9,000 people. Champa’s leadership has created a ripple effect throughout her community, helping scores of girls doggedly pursue education and fight against child labour and child marriage.

“I will continue my fight against violence and exploitation of children. We need to educate and empower the children so that they can resist exploitation in any form,” Champa said.

The union minister also applauded the efforts of 16- year-old Radha Pandey from Madhuban panchayat in Koderma district. She has become an inspiration for scores of girls by rebelling against her parents and society by refusing to get married as a child. She then spearheaded the movement against child marriage. The district administration has designated Radha as the brand ambassador of Koderma district against child marriage.

“Girl children should have the guts and gumption to oppose the evil of child marriage. Existing societal notions of discrimination and prejudice, especially towards girl children, can only be changed through education and public awareness,” she said.

Recently, Badaku Marandi, another former child labourer from the mica mines in Giridih district also represented the country at the fifth ILO conference held at Durban.

Mica, a shiny mineral, is used in a wide variety of industrial and consumer goods. India is a major supplier of mica to an increasing world market, worth approximately $500 million. Research indicates that 25% of the world’s mica production is from the states of Jharkhand and Bihar.