Where Children Cook Food, Run Houses and Yet Go to School

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Date:25/06/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/06/25/stories/2006062500411100. htm

Tamil Nadu

Where children cook food, run houses and yet go to school

Kausalya Santhanam

Parents, rescued from bonded labour, work in Kerala; earn Rs. 280 a day for making 1000 bricks

● Children run the household in 10 families at Pudhutheru ● NGO takes care of children bringing them together

Photo: M. Srinath

ON THEIR OWN: Children cooking and washing vessels at Edamanal panchayat,

http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=2006062500411100.htm&date=2006/06/25/&prd=th& (1 of 3)6/28/2006 5:07:07 PM http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=2006062500411100.htm&date=2006/06/25/&prd=th& Kollidam block in Nagapattinam district in Tamil Nadu.

Sirkazhi (Tamil Nadu): Can you imagine households headed by children of 13 and 14 years? Children who are in charge for as long as six months at a stretch while both parents are at work hundreds of kilometres away? Children of this age cook, attend to household chores, take care of younger siblings as well as attend school at Pudhutheru, a habitation in Nagapattinam district of Tamil Nadu.

Their parents, former bonded labour were rescued from Adhamangalam and housed in this settlement in Edamanal panchayat, Kollidam block by the Government in the late 1990s (Nineties). They migrate to Kerala for six months in a year to work in brick making units leaving their children behind.

It is dark when we drive over bumpy roads to visit this remote habitation 10 km from Sirkazhi. There are 57 families here. The group that comes out to talk to us consists of adults and children. There are also decrepit old men and women who are left to `look after' the children while their parents are away. ``I am in charge but my eyesight has failed,'' says Anjalai who is 80.

``On an average, children run the household in 10 families when their parents go in rotation for employment to Kerala,'' say T. Narasimhan and M. Jagadish of the M. Venkatarangaiya Foundation, a voluntary organisation which is working here. The foundation based in Secunderabad aims to abolish child labour.

M. Ramalingam of Pudhutheru, father of two boys and a girl says, ``We were rescued from bonded labour owing to the efforts of a voluntary organisation. The Government provided houses for us but no land. In the absence of a means of livelihood, we have to go to Kerala."

In most cases the wife accompanies her husband. ``I come home every two months and stay for 3-6 days to check how my children are doing and to give them money for household expenses,'' says Marappan. ``We call them up once a week to make sure they are fine and studying well. But we stay here for six months when it rains in Kerala-we do menial work as `coolies' then."

Kavitha (14) manages her household, made up of her younger sister Vembu (10) and her younger brother Sakthivel (8) . "When our father visits us once in two or three months, he gives me Rs.300 to 500 to run the household," says Kavitha. Who buys the provisions? ``I do,'' she replies.

Vembu says her ``akka'' takes good care of her. ``But I fetch water and help her clean the house," she adds.

http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=2006062500411100.htm&date=2006/06/25/&prd=th& (2 of 3)6/28/2006 5:07:07 PM http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=2006062500411100.htm&date=2006/06/25/&prd=th& Vijayan (15) is a Standard (Class) VII drop out who has been persuaded to resume schooling. He is in charge of his sister Vijayalakshmi (9) and brother Shashi Kumar (6).

``We hate to leave them alone but what can we do?," shrug Marappan, Bhoopalan and Satyavel. ``There is no occupation available for us here — no agricultural land to cultivate. When we were bonded labour we were able to stay with our children, now we have to go far away in order to sustain ourselves. But we are a close knit group and if the children fall ill or in trouble, relatives or the neighbours will step in to help- there is support from the community.''

``I feel very sad to leave them,'' says 35-year-old Manjula, mother of three girls of 17, 14, 10 and a boy of eight. "

But if my husband and I stay at Pudhutheru, it is difficult for us to even get a square meal a day, let alone educate our children.''

It is hard work in the brick kilns. ``We start working at 5 a.m. and get paid Rs.280 a day for making 1000 bricks," says Marappan.

``Only if we are accompanied by our spouses will we be able to earn enough and save up money. Otherwise we may spend it on liquor,'' the men admit sheepishly.

The M. V. Foundation is involved in "making education a reality for every child." ``We were surprised when indent for educational material in this habitation included buckets and mugs for running the home. It is sad that the parents have to go away but heartening that these parents have such faith in the transforming power of education. They do not want their children to end up like themselves,'' says Shantha Sinha, secretary-treasurer of the foundation.

The foundation has helped the children at Pudutheru by bringing them together, providing them with uniforms and notebooks, and paying attention to their nutrition and health needs.

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