Why Young Children Are Working From Dawn to Dusk

In Nepal, over a million young children are working, many in brick factories. 11-year-old Arvind has been working for the past three years making around $1.75 a day.

The law strictly prohibits the employment of children under the age of 14, and is a crime punishable by a year of imprisonment and a fine. Yet around 10 percent of the workers in brick factories are underaged.

VICE World News Sahar Zand speaks with child laborers, their parents, and a factory owner to find out why these children are working.

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[Padre]

Arvind is a natural leader, you can see it in the class room. He is supportive, attentive, and brave. So long as he makes it to the other side, he will change peoples lives.

[crisgarcia]

Reporters that don’t just report, but actually are doing something about the injustice they are witnessing. Massive respect for them.

[euphoricocean]

Arvind is the purest soul I have ever seen, he looked happy even at the brick factory, but when he was in the classroom he looked so much happier. When he said he wanted to be a teacher and inspired all the children to keep coming to school I couldn't help but cry

[littlelamb]

Arvind making everyone say that affirmation at the end almost made me cry. Thank you Vice for the amazing reporting you do on such underrated issues and I wish all these kids luck in changing the world for the better.

[danielleann]

It’s heartbreaking to think that a large bag of rice is what makes or breaks these children’s ability to obtain an education. Crushing honestly.

[ExcellEnt-Vision]

If only we where as passionate about supporting people as much as we are passionate about supporting athletes & celebrities… this documentary was amazing!!!!

[cdk]

Such a rough life. When the mother is asked if she went to school she replied, "No. Because we are uneducated, we are nothing." That hits hard. It's sad that on the opposite side of this all we see fully grown adults complaining about such frivolous things, oblivious to how much pain and suffering goes into how well off they've got it. Very heavy documentary.

[soccerguy]

I don't think I've ever cried at a VICE News video, but I came close with this one. Seeing how all the formerly (basically enslaved) children rejoiced at getting an education truly made my heart warm. My heart goes out to Arvind, and all the other Nepali children who have been forced into this disturbing lifestyle by their parents. May they all have access to education.

[gringa]

The man who walks the slums and finds working children and then pays what they’d normally get paid in a month in rice is literally doing God’s work!! Is there a way we can support his cause?!?! I’d love to be able to help!!

[likeagenieinabottle]

Banning child labor places focus on the symptom rather than the problem, which is poverty. The children have to work in order to survive, unfortunately. Other measures need to be taken with welfare, social support, etc. like what is being done by this amazing charity. Fantastic work!

[heimbiggysmallz]

Lil bro workin 7 days a week and he ain even in middle school yet. But you can still see the childhood innocent happiness in him. I hope he never loses that.

Good luck arvind you got this my boy

[theprodigalbum]

What a powerful and emotional documentary. The begging of it seemed bleak, but to see the amazing work that Our Sansar does is incredibly uplifting. They really have the potential to change the course of the lives of these children..

[vid]

5:14 seeing the 6y old working on bricks brought be to tears. it's crazy how we take things like food, clean water and education for granted to the point where we forget that people like this exist, people who are at the very bottom of society, alive.. and that's it. I wish I can do more to help than just make a comment..
whenever something bad happens to you in life, no matter how awful or heartbreaking it may be, remember that your feeling are valid and you don't necessarily deserve any of that, but also remember that it could've been worse, much much worse. and appreciate your life, and the privileges you have.

[howtorawk]

I'm usually not affected but this video is pulling at my heartstrings. Seeing children subjected to such a tough reality and not able to maximize their potential is profoundly sad. I wish to be able to help people in these situations one day. I wish all of the kids the best of luck. Arvind has a special light and I know he will overcome and do well in the future.

[siyabulelakumalo]

How this boy still manages to smile and look so full of life despite his sad world is beyond me

[the_magician_bkny]

I’m watching this and have tears in my eyes. I never truly realized how ungrateful I’ve been most of my life and open up ours eyes and appreciate everything we have now because these kids have nothing and are happy while we have everything and complain. Thank you vice for sharing this 🥲

[Princecarwala]

THOSE LAST FEW MINUTES HAD ME TEARS .IT WAS SO EMOTIONAL. ARVIND IS SO GOOD
MAY GOD BLESS THEM AND MAKE THEM GOOD PERSONS.

[Sureshm]

This story brings tears to me. It has a happy ending though. This reporter is amazing for digging out the real story and also making sure to be a part of the solution. Salute to her and the people helping the small kids and their families.

[Bzkorea]

I just cant hold back my tears all throughout the video since my childhood was absolutely traumatic and I had somewhat similar experience. I have to work afterschool when I was young cause I grew up without my parents. Fought so hard to finish my education and now I`m still working so hard around 12 hours everyday but it pays off since the salary is more than enough even if I splurge on things that are unnecessary. Thank you Vice for reminding everyone that regardless of what we are going through there are a lot of people that are experiencing things much worse than our current experience which makes us appreciate life even more cause we tend to get agitated even in minor inconveniences. I will be going back to school again soon to further my education and will eventually help these kind of movement to help eradicate these kinds of practices and to really help social mobility.

[ivareskesner]

Some people have it harder than others. We should always appreciate this and meditate on our own luck when we feel like life has done hard by us. Chances are it's nothing when compared to stories like this.

My first job was at around 14. Cutting wood in the forest, knee deep in snow with an old Soviet chainsaw called _'Friendship'_ which was almost as big as me. Proper kolhoz (farmer collective) name. Then I came to the west and kids my age were being driven everywhere, bought computer games and toys and seen on hand and foot by their parents.

This was when I realised something. Just how correct William Blake was... _'Some are born to sweet delight and some are born to endless night'._ Always be grateful you were born to sweet delight. Because chances are, you will need to remind yourself how lucky you are in order to stay grounded in life.