THE chairman of Trocaire, Bishop John Kirby, has condemned the circumstances that oblige over 200 million children around the world to work as if they were slaves. One of the great tragedies of Third World poverty was that such a huge number of young children worked in indescribable conditions, Dr Kirby added.
The Bishop of Clonfert was speaking at the launch of Ireland's first charity loyalty card in association with An Post. The card will be known as the TAP (Trocaire/An Post) card and will allow donations to be sent through An Post's computerised network of 1,000 offices. The card is available from post offices or by ringing Trocaire at 01-2885385.
Dr Kirby said boys and girls, often as young as five or six, were put to work weaving carpets in dark, badly ventilated weaving sheds, while others were forced to make bricks under a tropical sun.
Others spend their lives working in dangerous chemical tanneries or fireworks factories where death may come slowly or in an instant," the bishop said.
He described a project supported by Trocaire in Honduras, which works with 3,000 high risk children aged six to 15 who work in the markets. "Most work 12 hour shifts for low wages and are subject to verbal, physical and sometimes sexual abuse."
Trocaire runs a school for these children, Dr Kirby said, with classes run from 5 a.m. to 4 p.m. to fit in with the children's needs. "There are no fees or uniforms and children come either in the morning or the afternoon to allow them time to do their work in the markets."
Innovations like the TAP card would enable Irish people to go on supporting such projects, the bishop said.