The head of the former bonded laborers for the liberated relative children

New Delhi, May 21: Noble Laureate for children protected from slavery is run by a rehabilitation center of Kailash Satyarthi's NGO, which is believed or not by a former bonded worker. "The chief teacher of our ball ashram was once a relative worker," said Satyarth, a group of journalists. "His name was Ram Kirpa."

He added: "The treasurer of our organisation, who also looks after my financial issues, was also a bonded labourer. His name is Lakshman Singh, popularly known as Lakshman Master." Satyarthi was explaining the importance of rehabilitation of children freed from bonded labour to provide them a new life. Among the children housed in the Bal Ashram, "some are going to be software engineers this year. Two of them will be lawyers soon as they are in the final year of their studies".

He said centrally-funded schemes for rehabilitation of freed bonded child workers were started in 1980. Initially, the government gave Rs 4,000 to each child. This amount went up to Rs 6,000 and then to Rs 20,000. Now the amount has gone up to Rs 3 lakh after central ministers realised that the earlier amount was too meagre for long-term rehabilitation. Satyarthi said his Bachpan Bachao Andolan runs three rehabilitation centres for children freed from slavery one for girls and two for boys. He spoke only a few hours after he and his team saved nine children from forced labor in the illegal factory in Old Delhi. When dingy place is attacked, children are producing gift items that can be exported. The factory was closed but the owner escaped.