The one who stopped child labor is on the verge of starvation today: Rakesh was kidnapped in the year 2000, later became the hero of Bachpan Bachao Andolan

File photo of Rakesh.

A man who lives as a laborer in Supaul has once traveled abroad to eliminate child labor. In the year 2000, he worked in Punjab as a bonded laborer for many years, after which he got freedom from Punjab by taking the help of Bachpan Bachao Andolan. Later, he not only got education by joining a children’s ashram, but he also did a great job to stop child labor.

During this, I got a chance to become a member in a seminar on child labor held in Sweden in 2008. The person appearing on the cover page of many foreign magazines is Rakesh of Supaul, who hails from Bihra village in Saharsa district. But he is earning his livelihood in Supaul itself. He works as a sand-cement lifter in a traders’ shop.

Rakesh was kidnapped in the year 2000

In the year 2000, Rakesh was kidnapped by someone and sold him in Punjab. Where he worked as a bonded laborer for 3 years. Meanwhile, on the complaint of his family members, people associated with the Bachpan Bachao Andolan rescued him. After that he was handed over to the relatives.

But Rakesh did not feel at home

Wishing to do something, Rakesh again contacted the people associated with the Bachpan Bachao Andolan and started working with the same people on child labor. In the meantime, he also took education by staying in an ashram in Jaipur. Where in view of his good work, a Swedish organization working on world child labor called him to Sweden as an associated member, where he also got a lot of respect. But today Rakesh, the hero of Bachpan Bachao Andolan, works as a laborer on a tractor.

hope for help from the government

Rakesh wants to work again on child labor but he needs the help of the government which he has not got till now. If the government helps at all times, Rakesh can do great work for Bachpan Bachao Andolan.