What we do
Too Young To Work (TYTW) projects have supported three schools in communities in India that have high levels of child labour.
The projects are development projects and the end aim is to have the schools paid for by a combination of contributions from the parents and the government.
We work with our local partners to consult with the local communities. These communities have made the decision to pursue education for their children to ensure a brighter future for them. The schools have widespread support in their communities and parents and community representatives participate in parent and school committees.
Adult literacy classes have also been developed to assist the parents in their contribution to the schools and hundreds of parents have benefited from these classes.
The three schools supported by TYTW have over 450 children enrolled.
In the regions where the schools are based the following has been achieved:
- Improved wages and conditions to a level where parents are now able to contribute 30% of the running costs of the schools
- Started ‘child labour free’ village campaigns
- Declared nine villages child labour free and are actively campaigning in another 24 villages.
- Have signed 28 agreements with brick kiln owners not to use child labour
- Have jointly campaigned with local communities to publicly raise awareness about child labour and to seek government recognition and financial support for the schools.
Development Not Welfare
The key objectives of the project are to establish self-sustainability through a combination of community involvement and financial contribution and government recognition and funding.
The aim is to educate the children to a level to allow them to transfer to the government school system.
Purpose Statement of Too Young Too Work
- To raise funds for the establishment and development of schools at the primary level in developing countries which:
- are part of a comprehensive, economic, social, cultural and political process;
- must be able to produce benefits which are sustainable and will endure; and
- has a strategy for integration into a broader community development program
- To raise community awareness of the exploitation of children through child labour and of the right to a childhood itself;
- To advocate and lobby, in conjunction with relevant trade unions, employers and employer organisations, national governments, local governments and law enforcement agencies to ensure compliance with national and international instruments of child protection;
- To advocate sustainable economic alternatives for families of child labourers;
- To lobby for, in conjunction with relevant trade unions, employers and employer organisations and other relevant organisations, to provide improved schooling, training and apprentice systems which are relevant to future employment opportunities;
- To develop consumer awareness of goods produced through the exploitation of child labour; and
- To lobby for the total elimination of child labour to achieving compliance with all relevant ILO Conventions and Recommendations.
