Once child labourers, now students

BANGALORE: On World Anti child Labour day, child labourers who were rescued and have now completed their SSLC and PUC with first class were felicitated on Sunday.Haseena Banu, aged 16 years, completed SSLC with 72 per cent. She has joined a college at Magadi and wants to pursue Commerce in under graduation.Banu tells that she was brought from Mysore by her family on the pretext of studying when she was 5 years old. “They left me at a man’s house in J P Nagar as a domestic helper. I could barely even talk then,” She remembers. Banu worked for eight years, where she was constantly beaten up by the employers and she fled to the nearest police station.The police got in touch with APSA, a non profit organisation which protected the girl.Marimuthu, a 14-year-old boy, who was felicitated with a new school bag and books along with other boys and girls, had worked in a hotel for two years as a helper. He was pulled into labour by his older brother who was working there, he said.