Monday 12th June 2007, the world over was observed as the World day against child labour.
This was a day launched by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in 2002 to draw attention to the plight of child workers and also to highlight the action necessary to eradicate child labour. Every year, on this day, governments, employers, individuals, members of civil society and work organizations join together to fight child labour.

To observe the day in Sierra Leone, the National Commission for Children in consonance with the National Commission for Persons with Disability and Ministry of Labour And Social Security engaged physically challenged persons who use children to beg or accompany them to beg on the streets. The theme for this year’s celebration is: In Conflicts and Disasters, protect Children from Child Labour”.

The engagements took place at Burn Ose along Pademba Road, a popular shelter for beggars with disabilities on the 12th June and Opposite John Michael Motors, Wilkinson road on the 13th June 2017 respectively.
Both programmes were chaired by Mr. Sahr-Kalan F Davowa, Programme Manager of NCPD who said that the WDACL was specifically set aside to raise awareness so that the world would know that it is not good to involve children in child labour activities that will affect their health, education or wellbeing stating that on the contrary this is what happens Sierra Leone. He encouraged all to stop engaging children in child labour activities and send them to school because engaging in such affects their physical and mental development. He said without proper care of children, the future of the country will be bleak.

NCC Commissioner, Mrs Olayinka Laggah said the main objective of the Commission is to see that all children in Sierra Leone grow up well. She said things are difficult and life is challenging for the physically challenged beggars but they need to be a bit resilient to ensure that their children grow up well. She said the NCC is concerned about the high rate of children begging or accompanying physically challenged beggars on the streets at a time they are supposed to be in school. This is why the adults are specifically targeted to encourage them to pay attention to these kids and allow them go to school, or to learn a trade in order to be self-reliant in the future. “The NCC is not saying that children should not work but the work should not affect their education, health or development. We know that the children need to help you but in doing so you are depriving them from being educated”said Mrs. Laggah.

Mrs. Laggah also admonished the beggars to keep their children away from politics and protect them at all times to ensure that the children grow up well. “Please help us so we will be able to help you too” she concluded.

Chair lady of the physically challenged persons Madam Kadiatu Sillah said she is happy for the work of the NCC. She said they as persons with disabilities also want to see their children grow up well with high hopes of taking them out of the streets but how will that happen when they the parents are not empowered. “We live on the streets and the only way we can survive is for our children to help us to beg. Even if the children go to school, they return to the streets to sleep exposing them to all sorts of dangers and bad life, so what difference will it make? We pay hospital bills when our kids are sick, we pay school fees for them and the only way we can make such monies is through begging”. She stressed that they the disabled adults should first be catered for then they will be able to take better care of their children.

A child beggar with disabilities Fatmata Kargbo said “we are on the streets because we suffer a lot with nobody to help us. My mother died during the Ebola crisis and my father does not help me he is just a beggar like me, so I have no way to survive but to beg. That is where we get our living, get clothes to wear because we do not get any help from anybody”.
Another child Cyrus During who accompanies persons with disabilities to beg said they as street children are also tired of the streets. He said if the beggars are taken care of and discouraged from begging, they too will leave the street and do something meaningful with their lives.

Ishmail Komba Gborie, Chairman of Help Empower Polio Persons Organization (HEPPO) said there is no need to celebrate the day in the life of disabled persons as they are vulnerable especially the children with no place to sleep or food to eat. Even if the children want to go to school, if there is nothing in the home, they have no option but to help their parents to beg. He said this is bad because when the children grow up and become shy to beg but have not learnt any skills, they later become street boys and most of the girls go into prostitution. He said most of the bad boys around are products of persons with disabilities. He appealed to all organizations dealing with children to prioritize these children for scholarship so that they can become useful citizens in future.

A Representative from Sierra Leone Union of Disability Issues (SLUDI), Mr. Momoh Mansaray said there is no help for children of persons with disabilities, no free education so how does society expect them to become ministers if they cannot be educated now. He reiterated the point that the only way to get the children off the streets and send them to school is to cater for the adults or parents first.

Other speakers included Mr. Massaquoi from the MLSS and Mr Mausie Dumbuya Outreach and Advocacy Officer NCPD who also deliberated on the dangers of depriving the children of an education and encouraged the beggars to allow their children go to school for a better and brighter future.