FM Station in War Against Child Labour in Iringa

The Citizen (Dar es Salaam)

Clement Sanga

3 April 2011

Iringa — Various unacceptable forms of exploitation of children are still carried out in many parts of the world, including Tanzania. In some instances, these sorts of crimes against inhumanity are not fully reported, and therefore very difficult to verify or deal with, due to the circumstances under which they take place.

Slavery, child trafficking, sexual exploitation of minors and the use of children in drug peddling, as well as other hazardous works are generally defined as worst forms of child labour (WFCL).

According to international statistics currently available, it’s estimated that more than 158 million children aged between five and 14 worldwide are engaged in various forms of child labour.

Available information shows that, among other things, millions of children live in vulnerable conditions and work in hazardous environments, such as eking out a living in the mines. Many others also face exposure to dangerous chemicals and pesticides in agriculture, or work as labourers in factories using outdated technology and machinery.

Indeed, the grossly exploited children are found everywhere, such as those toiling as domestic servants in homes, labouring behind the walls of fortified workshops and hidden from view in plantations.

According to available information, in sub-Saharan Africa, around one in every three children is engaged in child labour, representing a multitude of up to 69 million people. In Tanzania, like any other place in the world where children are abused and exposed, the figures are equally shocking.

It is estimated that 47 per cent of children below 15 years, and 30 per cent of those aged between 10 and 14 drop out of school every year in the country. According to local children welfare experts, most of these end up being child labourers, or are exposed to abuse of alcohol, narcotic substances and related vices.

In Tanzania, studies indicate that the problem of child labour is particularly pronounced in Iringa Region than any other part of the country, with cases of child exploitation in some districts there being regarded as higher than the national or international estimates.

For instance, a study conducted between 2004 and 2009 to identify the mostly vulnerable children (under 18 years) in the region put the number of child labourers at between 3,000 and 10,000. The statistics further showed that boys were more exploited than girls, with Iringa Rural District, which had 10,172 child labourers, found the most notorious in employing children.

The alarming figures not only call for immediate intervention to eradicate the plight of the suffering children in the region, but also testify to the fact that the area is among the top suppliers of domestic workers in the country. Iringa is also known as a fertile source of barmaids working in most cities in the country, especially Dar es Salaam.

It is against this chilling background and reality that Country FM radio in Iringa decided to embark on a project to create awareness of the problem by airing in-depth coverage of the situation. The strategic mission of the project is to provide a wider understanding of the matter to the general public and policymakers.

“We want everyone to understand the magnitude of the problem of child labour in Iringa, its underlying causes, and the immediate and long-term effects of this developmental setback, and the resultant social predicament to the children, their families and the nation at large,” the coordinator of the project, Mr Alex Mwinuka, who is managing director of Country FM, noted in a recent interview.

He told The Citizen on Sunday that due to the gravity of the problem, the station has resolved to focus more attention on matters related to children’s rights and other social ills affecting young people in the region, and make them part of Country FM’s operational policy.

In implementing the project, which is called “Mwanga wa Watoto” (Children’s Light), the radio station has allocated two hours of airtime every week to broadcast issue related to child labour.

“The documentary is a bi-weekly running on Saturday and Wednesday from 8am to 9am based on data and information gathered by well-trained reporters on investigative journalism (IJ),” Mr Mwinuka said.

The coordinator of the project, Mr Abbas Upete, says that one of the few live examples the station can take pride in was the story of Juliana (not her real name), a minor and a standard three pupil at a certain primary school in Iringa Municipality, who was frequently subjected to harsh treatment by her step parents. The child was not allowed to attend school under the pretext that her guardians had no money to pay for her education.

Instead of going to school, Juliana was forced to carrying out home chores and other numerous degrading activities, which exposed her to physical harm.

“One morning when the programme was being aired, Juliana came to the studio with her hands severely burnt and when I asked her to narrate the circumstances that led to her predicament, the 10-year old broke into tears as she told her touching story…She said she was burnt by her step-mother allegedly for stealing Sh50,” Mr Upete said.

He says the revelations of children’s sufferings through the programme has made “Mwangaza wa Mtoto” a hit drawing huge public attention, and has greatly helped in combating the problem of child labour in the region.

He acknowledges the support and collaboration from civil society organisations, such as the association of domestic and hotel works, as well as the district social welfare office, which has led to the rescue of many children from excessive abuses and exploitation, mistreatment and degradation.

“As a radio station we are very proud of the programme because in a span of very short time we have already started to see its positive impact on the society we are out there to serve,” Mr Upete noted.

Indeed, the programme has had an immediate impact on its audience. Mr Upete recalls that, for instance, one day when it was being aired a caller who identified himself as Mr Frank Kalinga informed its host of the tragedy involving a 5-year old boy named Shauri who was being subjected to various hardships by his uncle, including frequent canning, and the feeding and cleaning of swine and dogs’ huts.

According to Mr Upete, the problem of child labour in Iringa has been aggravated by the presence of many orphans whose parents died from HIV/Aids, as well as abject poverty in the region, and many broken marriages. There is also the issue of early pregnancies, which lead to young girls being expelled from schools and shunned by their families.

In addition, poor family planning, which results into families having a big number of children that they cannot afford to maintain adequately, is also another main reason behind widespread child labour. Under such circumstances, the children are required, and sometimes forced, to contribute in making ends meet for the family.

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