A dimly-lit, dingy room packed to capacity, around 50 children sitting hunched over match boxes and an abusive task master—this could have been the scene inside one of the hundreds of sweatshops that employ child workers.

But thankfully, this is only a simulation exercise at a programme titled ‘Child Labour Challenge’, organised by World Vision India at the India Social Institute in Delhi recently. The exercise sought to raise awareness on child labour among street-children and those from the slums.

Around 160 children, aged between 10 and 18 years, were divided into three groups and each of them was asked to make 50 match boxes in 15 minutes with hard box material brought from Guddiatam in Tamil Nadu and crude gum.

“This is the average productivity expected of a child labourer in some of the matchbox factories of South India,” explained Anjana Purkayashta, director of design and child development with World Vision India. The children were divided into three age groups and were asked to sit on the floor. They had tough ‘masters’ (World Vision staff), who would abuse them verbally while they sat down to work.

Thirteen-year-old Manisha got a rude shock when she was refused drinking water during the simulation exercise. “The manager was rude to us and kept shouting,” she said. “Children are not supposed to do this.”

Fourteen-year-old Ajay was on the verge of breaking down. “If the exercise would have continued a little longer, I would have cried. I was so upset that I couldn’t concentrate on the task,” he said.

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