Like Chaudhari, many students from poor households work as laborers to finance their education.[break] And a month long vacation during the rainy season comes to them as a boon. Now that the yearly vacation has come to an end, the children have decided to work for 15 more days before the classes don´t begin properly. For them, more work means more money to finance their studies.
“I´ve come here hoping that the work will help finance my education,” Chaudhari, a seventh grader at Kolahi Lower Secondary School said. She said she has been working as a construction laborer at Lamhi. “I even went to India to plant paddy. However, this year, I got the job in the market itself.”
She said the money that her parents earn is only enough for subsistence. Therefore, in order to finance her studies, she has to work as a laborer during holidays. She is paid Rs 160 for an eight-hour shift. She said that compared to last year, there has been a slight increase in the wages.
Thirteen year Prabha, Nirmaya and Kalu Chaudhari of the same village share similar stories. “My parents don´t have land nor are employed. We work in order to finance our education,” Prabha said.
“Though we know that it against the law to make the children work as laborers, we´re forced to do it,” Suresh Chaudhari, a contractor said. “If we don´t give them work, they won´t be able to continue their studies.”
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