At 11 years old, Saminder* should have been in a classroom. Instead, he spent ten hours a day at a commercial shop in Bihar, washing vehicles, scrubbing floors, and hauling heavy auto parts. He earned ₹20 (about 24 cents) a day. His father’s irregular daily-wage work had left the family with no way to keep him in school.
In September 2025, our Justice Hub in East Champaran joined the Labor Department’s task force in a rescue operation. Saminder and three other children were freed. A police report was filed, and five people were arrested for violating child labor laws. Our Justice Hub began visiting the family right away.
By December, a full assessment showed that Saminder had no birth certificate, bank account, or identity card. Without them, he couldn’t receive the government support he was owed. Our Justice Hub helped his parents obtain his birth certificate and, by early 2026, helped open a bank account in his name to receive his government rehabilitation compensation.
We also helped address the root cause, the family’s unstable income. Our Justice Hub counseled his parents on starting a small business, and they chose a mobile snack stall. In March 2026, they received ₹8,000 (about $96) in government aftercare assistance, which paid for a cart (photo above), equipment, and starting inventory. The family now earns a steady daily income of ₹800–1,000 ($9.60–$12.00). We also connected them with local officials and helped them apply for permanent housing. By August, Saminder’s compensation was placed in a fixed deposit, to be held for his future.
With the family’s income stable, his parents made a decision: Saminder is now in Class 4 at a local English-medium school and attends every day. He studies with new determination and tells us he wants to become a police officer one day, like the officers who rescued him.
*Name changed to protect identity.
