I’ve an exquisitely carved brass vase that I brought from Moradabad – the Brass City of India. Its beauty reminds me of the beast that the brass industry could be for the underprivileged families that rely on the industry for survival. The survival comes at the cost of serious health hazards and lost childhoods. The brass industry of Moradabad is as infamous for child labor as it is renowned for its craft.
The bass vase also reminds me of the effort that is being made to eradicate child labor – a grassroots project called “Sankalp” by an NGO Association for Stimulating Know How. I became a part of this project for a brief duration when I volunteered to spend sometime in Moradabad and capture in photographs the spirit of the project and the people associated with it. The photo gallery here chronicles some of the experiences:
I rate my association with Sankalp as the best work that I’ve done so far. Not only because of its significance to the society but also for the returns that I got from it -
- the people that I lived with – the spirit and motivation of the team in Moradabad and the innocent warmth of the children,
- and their circumstances – the challenges they face everyday and their humble perseverance with which they enable self reliance
It’s this knowledge and experience that enables me to truly appreciate the beauty of my brass vase.
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God bless you for your admirable efforts for the cause.
There are very few who care, and fewer still who work towards bringing about a change and making a difference.
I’m sure it means a lot to the children and their families…
Thanks Aman … there are people who really care, no matter how few, but they are and they are creating a difference