Activists, Government meet brick wall combating child labour in Migori Gold/Copper mines

KNA by George Agimba

Government and organizations working to rescue children from labor exploitation are discovering that freeing them from risky employment in gold and copper mines is only half of the problem solved; ensuring they permanently stay away from the mines is another matter.

  “All the efforts to end labor exploitation involving children within the gold/copper mines will not work unless attention is also paid to sustaining livelihood incomes of the children after pushing them out of the mines,” says Mr. Collins Onyango, a program officer with a non-governmental organization fighting child labor in Migori.

 According to Mr. Onyango, an officer working with World Vision Kenya, not enough programs have been put in place to help the child victims overcome their desire to earn a living to provide their basic needs when they are completely locked out from working in the popular mines domiciled in Nyatike, Rongo and Kuria areas of Migori County.

 This is why the government and organisations fighting this vice are facing a big challenge banning minors from working in the mines within the area as the boys and girls continue streaming in large numbers into the pits to earn a living.

Although the local children’s officers within the region reaffirm the government’s commitment to battling labor abuses involving minors, grassroots organizations fighting the vice doubt that the state has given the matter any more than mere lip service.

Mr. Peter Owegi, another senior official in an organization charged with children’s protection, the Child Welfare Protection Association (CWPA), regretted the ever-rising cases of deaths and injuries involving children working in gold and copper mines in the area.

Owegi says that it is worrying that many of these abuses happen with the blessings of the children’s parents or guardians who allow them to work in the risky man-holes for long hours at the expense of their education.

 “Although the government, through the Children’s Department and other law enforcement agencies, plus several non-governmental organizations is doing everything possible to end this form of abuse, little is being done to allow the minors to live a decent life after being stopped from working in those mines,” said Owegi.

 It must be known to all that these children are sent to work in the mines to earn money to enable them to take care of their poor parents back at home, he says, explaining that, “In the absence of any form of income to these children after they are hounded out of these mines, life then becomes very hard for them and their parents to survive the harsh economic deprivation sweeping this county”.

For this reason, there must be a well-organized program put in place by the state and partners to help take care of the well-being of these children and their poor parents back at home.

Many organizations such as CARE and World Vision are successful testimony in assisting the victims to overcome the trauma associated with the abuse, preventing disease and unwanted pregnancies among many others, but are doing little on their part to help child labor victims sustain their livelihoods after saving them from the risky casual jobs.

Owegi attests to the fact that many of the abused children are left to suffer after they are forced out of the mine pits and without work to do and out of school because of a lack of school fees.

He adds that given this, a lot of resources are therefore needed to cater for the welfare of the abused children yet very little support is coming from the government.

 Owegi however notes that the bulk of the responsibility always falls on non-governmental organizations, but there is so much they cannot do without adequate resources.

Children are the wealth of a nation and governments need to work hard to develop the young ones. Not one that, but all government ministries must show some adequate commitment by participating in efforts towards improving children’s lives, such as concentrating on preventive measures such as advising and educating parents on why minors should not perform work beyond their abilities.