Child Labor

Photo Gallery Assignment

For this assignment I have chosen to write my essay based on the images I viewed from the Stolen Dreams website. My first reaction to these photographs was one of bewilderment. These images clearly depict the harsh realities of child labor. After reading the captions some images stood out more than others. The fishing platforms workers are in danger of falling into the ocean waters because of their small size and the fact that there is no protection. The garbage pickers have to not only work in unsanitary conditions but to eat from them as well. The stone quarry child made an impression because of how small he appeared standing among large stones with no shirt or shoes holding a tool larger than him. I mention these three because not only were they shocking but they also come from three different countries. This tells me that this is a problem not in just one area but all over the world. Having never seen conditions like these as a child it is hard to imagine that this goes on around the world.

The closest that I can come to understanding any of this is my parents experience as children having to pick with their families in the fields. They say that it was necessary for them in order for the family to eat during the summer. But the fact that this was seasonal work and they weren’t forced into it makes it menial compared to these images. Still they say it was hard to keep up with the work load and the adults. This gives me a small idea of what these children must endure ten times more.

The title seems fitting because the children in these photographs have a life that children should not have. You can see in their faces that any dreams or hopes are gone. They look tired and too mature for their age. After going through this sight I am glad to be aware and would like to in some way be a part of a solution.