Three years ago, at age 7, Nila began working in the brick factory to try and help pay for her mom’s medical care.
Nila’s mother, Rashida, became asthmatic as a result of working in the brick kilns. Nila’s father was forced to take a $1800 loan out from the brickmaker to pay for his wife’s medical expenses.
Nila’s mom’s condition worsened and two years ago, she died.
Now Nila and her dad work 12 hours a day making bricks to pay off the loan. Nila dreams of going to school and one day becoming a teacher. “I am not able to study, but I want to spread education among other children who are not able to go to school,” she says (see the video below).
No child should have to live like this. I’m sharing this in hopes that some of you will put Is. 58:6 into practice, “To loose the chains of injustice.”
Cost to Free Nila: $1500. The brickmaker has agreed to settle her debt for a reduced rate. If you’re interested, please contact me and I’ll put you in touch with my accountant, Tara. Tara is in touch with Emmanuel who oversees the process (more here).
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Seth,
My team and I just experience these “brick factories” in Cambodia! These people are getting taken advantage of and enslaved against their will. Thank you for getting this information out there, because people need to know about these things that happen in our world!
I’m in for $200 Seth – let me know where and how to send it – thank you for giving us the opportunity to be Jesus to Nila…I hope to meet her one day.
I’d like to contribute as well.
Hi Seth. This is the right strategy. Come see me in Colorado and lets lay down the strategy for 100 kids @ $1500 a piece.
This is awesome!
Butch, I like the way you think. if I can help down the road, I will. justinjue@gmail.com
seth, in light of your other post “the ethics of slave-buying”, what was the resolution/policy decided on?
what needs to happen is that the brickmaker/loanshark gets called out on in the courts for what’s most likely already illegal according to the law of the land (assuming this land is india and the law is the prohibition on child labor).
i know of an organization (not ijm, but i’m sure they’d do a great job at it, too) that would deal with the legal side of things.
my concern here is that the brickmaker continues this practice and now knows that there are foreigners who he can negotiate with — so while he still won’t get as much as he would’ve before our intervention, he’s still gonna get something.
my off-the-cuff thoughts.
Thanks for these thoughts, Sara. They are in Pakistan so I don’t know if the same laws apply as in India, but I know that we have tried to do things as you have suggested and it hasn’t worked.
I am wide open any help that you or others could give us. We are just dealing with the reality that we face as we try and help these kids.
I am told that the brick maker hates Americans, so I don’t think that Emmanuel has told him that he is working with Americans.
In any case we are doing the due diligence and follow-up to ensure that the kids are taken care of.
had you already contacted ijm? http://www.ijm.org/report-a-case
i’ll email you to connect you with another justice ministry.
Education Is taken advantage of in the states. Through grade school ita required or you can get a ticket!
I pray that we look at it as an opportunity & pray that we can have a heart of those who do not.
I would love to help! Please contact me on how I need to go about in doing so!
Thank you!
Sara, IJM doesn’t work in Pakistan.
Laura, please send me your email address and I’ll put you in touch with Tara.