In El Salvador, 440,000 children are denied their right to a childhood and forced into work at a young age. In the central zone of La Libertad, where 30 percent of the population live in extreme poverty, often families have no alternative but to send their children to work in the markets and rubbish dumps. They work long hours, often in dangerous conditions where they are vulnerable to abuse and disease and denied an education.
A Plan-supported project will establish ten child care centres focused on creating access to formal education through scholarships, school materials and after school tuition and providing healthcare, vaccinations and nutrition for 796 child labourers.
Counselling services will also be offered to children who have suffered abuse as well as drama and music lessons, recreational visits and games, so these vulnerable children can develop their creative potential, increase their self esteem and just have fun.
By improving their access to education and quality of life, these marginalised children will have the opportunity to fulfil their potential, contribute to their communities' future development and help break the cycle of poverty.
The project will also provide vocational training to 200 parents of child labourers to improve their small businesses and will support a further 200 families to start their own businesses through credit and training schemes. This will strengthen family income so that children do not have to work.
Through raising awareness of the dangers of child labour amongst families, empowering communities with a system to monitor child labour and lobbying for local and national legislation to prevent child labour to be strengthened, this project aims to stop child exploitation and ensure children's rights are not violated.
Please help forgotten children today with a donation or a regular monthly gift