The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Fighting child labour against all odds

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, May 07, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Fighting child labour against all odds

Syed Muthahar Saqaf

SHINING EXAMPLE: Tiruchi Collector Ashish Vachhani (right), congratulating T. Murugesan on his achievements inspite of losing his right arm at an young age. — PHOTO:R. M. RAJARATHINAM

TIRUCHI: As a child labourer T. Murugesan lost one of his arms in an accident at a powerloom unit in Erode district about 15 years ago. The incident proved a blessing in disguise for him as it paved way for him to continue his studies.

Though employed as a clerk in a child labour special school at Ayikondampalayam in Erode district, Murugesan (27) is involved in various activities motivating young minds and their parents on the importance of eliminating child labour.

Hailing from Devanampalayam village in Erode district, Murugesan could not pursue his studies after class V due to poverty, as both his parents were labourers. Left with no other option, Murugesan who was 12-years old then joined a powerloom unit in Anumanpalli village in the 1990s.

He worked for 18 months in the unit, where he met with an accident. However, it did not deter him from pursuing studies. Murugesan came out in flying colours in his school exams and later earned the Bachelor of Corporate Secretaryship (BCS) degree from the Erode Arts College in 2002.

The sufferings he underwent as a child labourer motivated him to take up the fight against child labour.

When the National Child Labour Project was introduced in Erode district in 2004, he volunteered to work in one of the special schools. Spotting the motivator in him, the then Collector absorbed him as a catalyst.

Mr. Murugesan was one among the participants in the three-day State-level skill development programme that concluded in Tiruchi on Sunday for teachers and staff of child labour special schools.

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