Child Labourers Take Time Off
11 March 2008

More than 50 child labourers enjoyed a rare day off on 26 February, which was launched by WVC’s combating the worst form of child labor project (CWCLP).

The children, working as scavengers, construction workers, brick factory workers, domestic workers, and vulnerable children, had a wonderful time together at a nature park named Chrolong Bophata, west of Battambang town.

Ly Sambath, 14, a former brick factory worker, was one of the children who expressed his enthusiasm to join the trip. As their parents live from hand to mouth, very few children have the chance to tour outside the town.

“I did enjoy the itinerary,” he said. “I met many friends. We had lunch together, and we swam.”

The children boarded buses where they got to know each other, introducing themselves, singing, jokes and quiz, facilitated by the project’s staff. By the time they arrived at the resort, all shyness and stress had been replaced by happiness, and it was time to walk and play together in the clean country air.

“The outing program is conducted in order to enable children to enjoy their life after working hard, to let them know that they also have right to live happily as other children do, and to make children to get to know each other so that they can help one another as necessary,” said Nil Damnag, CWCLP’s project officer.

The outings are organized every three months, with invitations going to children enrolled in the CWCLP programme either for school, non-formal education or life skills classes. The trip to Chrolong Bophata is the tenth since the programme began in September 2006.

But for Sambath, it is the first. “I think the outing program is fantastic because I can visit the interesting place and meet many friends,” he said afterwards. “I really want to join the next outing.”

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