Stories for Just Kids

This story introduces children (grades 2-6) to the concept of bonded labor, an illegal system that is still in use.

Introduction for the story: There is still slavery in the world, in different places and there are different kinds of slavery. In India, if a very poor man needs money, a rich person may “loan” it to him. But then the loaner sometimes makes the poor man work for him for years. The loaner finds ways to keep the debt from being paid. If the borrower has children, they too must work for the rich person. Sometimes even grandchildren work. They work for no money, get little food, are not allowed to leave work for school or play. Children born into that kind of slavery do not know what it means to be free. They are unhealthy because they are often hungry. They are forced to work too hard. Usually, no one in the family can read or write, so they don’t know about laws that would protect them. They do not know how to defend themselves.

This kind of mistreatment of people is not legal in India but it still happens. Fortunately, there are groups of people who work to free these families. This story is about an enslaved family that becomes free.