Lakshmi - 13 years old
She was abducted at age 9 from her village in North-East India. She spent her years cooking, cleaning and caring for homes in West Delhi. She worked in fear of doing something wrong - in which she would be hit. She was not allowed to rest without being yelled at or assaulted. She was not allowed to leave the house, and was told she was in East India - close to her family. Regularly, she was sexually assaulted by her capturers and was threatened to not tell anyone or her family would be targeted. Her uncle didn't have enough money to come look for her. The agents who set up the work arrangement were helpless to the rescue of Lakshmi. She was recently rescued by the police and returned to her village, with protection.
Raju - 10 years old
He works 12-hour days serving customers and washing dishes in a diner. Occasionally, he will earn less than a dollar for the day, if anything at all. He only receives food if there is some left over. Most nights Raju leaves on an empty stomach. His hands are callused from scrubbing dishes day after day. With his injuries, Raju receives no medical attention or sympathy.
Arjun - 12 years old
Arjun worked in a shelter near Allahabad. A child labor trafficker paid Arjun's father $22 and promised his child would earn $1 a day. He was locked in a shack with 20 young boys and were forced to weave carpets all day and night - with no pay. They were given only two breaks - one for eating and one for bathroom. He grew tired and would cut himself by accident. If his blood hit the carpets, the traffickers would rub green chili on the open wound to punish him.
She was abducted at age 9 from her village in North-East India. She spent her years cooking, cleaning and caring for homes in West Delhi. She worked in fear of doing something wrong - in which she would be hit. She was not allowed to rest without being yelled at or assaulted. She was not allowed to leave the house, and was told she was in East India - close to her family. Regularly, she was sexually assaulted by her capturers and was threatened to not tell anyone or her family would be targeted. Her uncle didn't have enough money to come look for her. The agents who set up the work arrangement were helpless to the rescue of Lakshmi. She was recently rescued by the police and returned to her village, with protection.
Raju - 10 years old
He works 12-hour days serving customers and washing dishes in a diner. Occasionally, he will earn less than a dollar for the day, if anything at all. He only receives food if there is some left over. Most nights Raju leaves on an empty stomach. His hands are callused from scrubbing dishes day after day. With his injuries, Raju receives no medical attention or sympathy.
Arjun - 12 years old
Arjun worked in a shelter near Allahabad. A child labor trafficker paid Arjun's father $22 and promised his child would earn $1 a day. He was locked in a shack with 20 young boys and were forced to weave carpets all day and night - with no pay. They were given only two breaks - one for eating and one for bathroom. He grew tired and would cut himself by accident. If his blood hit the carpets, the traffickers would rub green chili on the open wound to punish him.