Poverty and hunger are sometimes uncontrollable adversities which force many children into dangerous circumstances as their parents make harsh and irrational choice in order to find a way to support their family's needs. For most of the families that are forced to bear the grips of poverty, children become a means to make money and generate income. Because of this many children in poverty do not receive an education, and if the do attend school it is only for a brief period of time before they are made to work. In many circumstances, children are forced to work in extremely hazardous environments where they are exposed to toxic chemicals and heavy machinery that constantly put their lives in danger.

India, for the most part, does not enforce labor laws, and it is extremely depressing to know and understand that the first people on the list to be expose to dangerous work environments are children; they have no power to change their environment nor speak out against intolerable abuse.

In the worst of circumstances for children, which happens much more frequently than one could imagine, children are sold to work as slaves to large business or traded as sex slaves. Although sometimes the children are sold to businessmen by their families, there have also been many cases where children were stolen from their very own homes inside a village community and taking across the country or to another nation to be used as slaves. This, of course, causes incomprehensible damage to both the children and their families.

What leaves us at complete distress is the lack of action taken against these atrocities. For families that do sell their children in hopes of avoiding famine, the amount they receive is miniscule and sometimes less than what it would cost to buy a single meal at a popular stake house in the United States.

One of the greatest problems in India is the caste system which divides people even within the same communities. Although this system has existed for centuries, it only became a widespread problem after Western and Empirical ruler ship. While the middle and upper class receive the benefits of good education and healthcare, the lower class people are unrightfully stripped of the opportunities to access these resources. What is left for the 'untouchables' is unsanitary health clinics with scarce supplies that are often time infected as well as an education system where there are no teachers to teach and schools buildings that are literally crumbling to pieces.

The caste system regrettably allows people to justify the harsh treatment and suffering imposed upon people living in lower class communities. This 'down casting' makes it vary difficult for people to work their way out of poverty even if they had the will power and strength to fight the crippling shackles of hunger and disease that are common among the lower class citizens.

Of course lower class children are the greatest victims of the caste system because they are born without choice; before they even take their first breath their parents may have already made the decision that their child cannot attend school. Although the reasons may vary, many children cannot attend school either because it is too expensive or people of their social caste never attend school and rather start work from the first day they can walk. Children that are forced into labor intensive work at a young age jeopardize their chances of finding a good job in their adulthood that requires skill and academic knowledge. This, in turn, creates a cycle of poverty because their is no one there to make enough money to support their families needs while also educating educate their kids to give them a chance at finding a better future.

But with the education we can create new opportunities for lower class children in India, and through the support of our community we will provide the means necessary to give more children the opportunity to settle into a future free of hunger and unnecessary suffering. With education comes knowledge, and knowledge feeds wisdom about how to live a sustainable and healthy life while also supporting the needs of the family. In order to encourage sustainability in India, our efforts must first start with the children who can pave a new future with their fresh ideas and vibrant courage.

Although we cannot reshape India overnight, we do believe that we can work one life at a time until we gain momentum to create change on a larger scale. With support from people like you we can make the future brighter for all, especially our world's children who need us most.

Levels of education achieved on average in Madurai, Southern India

This table and graph show that the majority of the population is uneducated with the remaining 45 % obtaining an education no higher than primary, an education similar to elementary school training in the United States. The first major step to help revise this lack of education is to promote free programs with higher academic standards and better resources. Another problem that is inhibiting more Indians from receiving an education is the social stigma that is attached to education; most parents find it more economical to send their child to work than have them go to school.

Level of Education Obtained

The education system in India is quiet different from that here in the US, but to help the reader gain a better understanding we will give a general translation of the different academic levels: