Kilonga Project: 9 056 children saved from the worst forms of child labor

Child labor constitutes one of the sad realities prevailing in the current Malagasy society. Indeed, according to the survey conducted by Pack Madagascar in 2007, the number of children working in Madagascar was estimated at 1 870 000. Thanks to Kilonga Project, a project whose main objective is to contribute to the fight against child labor through education, 9 056 children have benefited from the action and support of the project.  4895 children have been removed from the worst forms of child labor, while other 4161 children have been warned concerning the dangers of child labor practices.

According to the explanations of Amanda J. Childress, Director of Pack Madagascar, yesterday at the Media Center at Antsakaviro, Kilonga Project is now in its fourth year of existence and operates in seven regions of Madagascar, inculding Anosy, Alaotra Mangoro, Analamanga, Haute Matsiatra, Vakinakaratra, Atsinanana and Diana.

Kilonga is a humanitarian project sponsored by the Government of the United States. It identifies the beneficiary children at six categories of worst forms of child labor, including domestic work, carrying heavy loads, working in mining and quarry, in fishing, in agriculture and sexual exploitation. So, thanks to the project, these children have benefited from services and educational support for 7658 of them have been rehabilitated or inserted into the formal education system, 473 have participated in upgrading courses, 247 are in literacy classes and 681 have participated in vocational training.