A lot of us were probably blessed, with plenty of outlets and opportunities available for us, and our educations never something we had to think twice about having. But, while we are receiving all of these opportunities, there are still so many children out there fighting for their basic rights and needs. By no means do I mean our childhoods were perfect, but having basic rights wasn’t something we had to worry about. The child laborers’ development and education were put at great risk, and their childhood was just stripped away from them. Progress has been made; the number of children in child labor has been cut by a third since 2000, but the number of children not being provided basic rights is still extremely overwhelming.

You might sometimes feel powerless, especially in global situations like this, but I assure you that you CAN help. Spread awareness and educate yourself on how to make a change and fight for children’s rights on DCI’s website (https://distressedchildren.org/). Get involved with DCI through volunteering, and I assure you that you will be able to contribute to DCI’s selfless, widespread and lasting impact. I saw it firsthand on my volunteering trip to Dhaka.

This World day against Child Labor, I want to applaud the efforts that have been made, and remind everyone that there is still work to be done that can better the lives of children everywhere. You have the opportunity to help, and I sincerely hope you take it.

Kavin Kathir
Youth Leader, Distressed Children & Infants International (DCI)
About Kavin Kathir
Kavin Kathir is from Cheshire, Connecticut. He is a rising junior at Cheshire Academy, and is attending there through a 4-year Town Scholarship. He recently took a volunteer trip to Dhaka, Bangladesh, where he helped children learn English at the DCI Sun Child Home. He later stated that this trip really opened his eyes and was a life-changing experience. Kavin is a committed volunteer, and has been volunteering through DCI since 2015.