Free The Children
In 1995, when he was 12 years old, Craig saw a headline in the Toronto Star news paper that read “Battled child labour, boy, 12, murdered.” The accompanying story was about a young Pakistani boy named Iqbal Masih who was forced into bonded labour in a carpet factory at the age of four, became an international figurehead for the fight against child labor by 12 years of age, and was brutally murdered in 1995.
Angered by the article, Kielburger began researching child labour. He took the article to school, gathered friends his same age and together founded a group called the "Twelve-Twelve-Year-Olds," This group would evolve into "Free The Children", an international organization that has 45 countries participating in helping the world become a better place. In December 1995, Kielburger travelled to Asia with Alam Rahman, a 25-year-old family friend from Bangladesh, to see the conditions for himself. While there, he learned that then-Prime Minister of Canada, Jean Chrétien was travelling to India. After being denied a meeting, Craig arranged a press conference where he announced that the prime minister had a “moral responsibility” to take action on child labour. The Prime Minister eventually met with him and raised the issue of child labour with the trade delegation, and spoke on the matter with the President of Pakistan and the Prime Minister of India.
He and a group of others also successfully lobbied the Canadian and Italian governments to stiffen laws against their nationals who sexually exploit children in developing countries like those in Asia.
Free The Children began to receive international attention - and partnered with Oprah Winfrey's Angel Network, for which Craig Kielburger has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show several times.
The organization has to date built over 650 schools and school rooms and implemented projects in 45 developing countries through its approach of "children helping children". The majority of the organization’s annual funding comes from funds raised by young people.
Read more about this topic: Craig Kielburger, Activism
Other articles related to "children, free, free the children":
... The record showed that a similar provision would apply to Rit's children, and that any children born after she reached 45 years of age were legally free, but the Pattison and Brodess families had ignored this ... Around 1844, she married a free black man named John Tubman ... Since the mother's status dictated that of children, any children born to Harriet and John would be enslaved ...
... Ann Cottrell Free (1916–2004), American journalist Arthur M ... Free (1879–1953), American politician Doug Free (born 1984), American football offensive tackle Duncan Free (born 1973), Australian rower and Olympic medalist F ... William Free (1928–2003), American advertising executive Gavin Free (born 1988), English filmmaker James S ...
... Some lectures are in free access on the "Transfer of knowledge" site of the ENS ... About sixty books are in free access on the "Éditions Rue d'Ulm" site, all in French ...
... with their Brick by Brick initiative hosted by Free the Children ... Every year the entire school participates in Free The Children's Vow of Silence to raise awareness for those who do not have their own say in the world ... Crosby now has raised over $9000 for Free the Children ...
... Qadariyah (or Qadariya), in Islam, are adherents of the doctrine of free will ... Qadaris maintain that Allah gave man free will, without which one cannot be fully accountable for one's actions ... Free will also means that Allah cannot know a man's actions in advance ...
Famous quotes containing the words children and/or free:
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