Christmas Season child-slavery alert

In India, 15 million children of grade-school age are being forced to work full time or longer in child slavery "sweatshops." Cut-price Christmas decorations and items are made by child slaves. So, BE AWARE this Christmas Season. Please take an extra effort to be sure that you don't purchase items made from sweatshops.

Priyanke Ribhu of Global March Against Child Labor says many children in India are often lured away from their parents by gangmasters who befriend their parents in the remote villages where they live.

The gangmasters reportedly promise parents their kids will be taken to a better place where they will be provided a real education and many great opportunities they could not receive in their villages. Parents are also often told the children will be able to send money back home to help their families.
 

Far too often the children simply end up locked away behind padlocks only to work 17-,18-, even 19-hour days with no one to help them. Holiday decorations similar to those discovered in the recent raid can be found on eBay and in other marketplaces online or in stores.

PLEASE NOTE: The items are often sold off into a sophisticated network of suppliers that make it nearly impossible for retailers or consumers to know whether the goods they are purchasing have been made by child labor.
 

Be aware of items, especially sold on eBay and online Markets. If it says "handmade" or does not list the country in which it was made; or, if it is extremely low-priced or if it says "handmade" and comes from India. Key: Too-low prices and species manufacture and/or country of origin. The people exploiting these children and marketing these items on the backs of child slaves are sophisticated, btw. And they are motivated. They are making millions from the broken lives of children.

Link: Enslaved children article.

Also: You can sign an e-petition asking the Indian Government to take immediate action. Here: www.educationenvoy.org

Let's do our part in making sure that the greatest Season of All is celebrated with honest items!

Selah.

NOTE: 61 million children are currently denied education and life-freedom. 115 Million are currently involved in hazardous work. Many children are sold into slave work markets, especially the boys. The girls are often sold as child brides or sold into child-prostitution. It's a horrid state of affairs. Make a difference!