A Closer Look at Child Labor

David Batstone of Right Reality (former editor for Wired & Business 2.0) points out an intriguing need in many poor countries: teaching children discipline thru work. He interviewed a 15 year old named Frank Sales who helps run a micro-enterprise fund for nearly 15,000!! of his peers. The fund has had a 95% repayment on loans and requires kids to pay 1% interest on principle & put 1% into savings. Frank's big problem? He needs access to more capital. I'm going to help with that. If you want to, then send an email to the executive director of Right Reality's Children's Aid Fund, Kique Bazan.

Side note: this is something the folks at Thunderbird should be all over.

Lucy Borja, the executive director of Generación argues that work does more than put money in kids' pockets - it gives them a discipline otherwise absent in their lives. Moving them from the streets directly into a school is untenable, she says. There are no breadwinners at home. (more)

Thanks to Rudy @ UrbanOnramps for this link.