New Documentary Sheds Light on Child Labour in Madagascar's Mica Mines
Shockingly, an estimated ten thousand Malagasy children, some as young as four, work in Madagascar's mica mines, enduring harsh, unsafe conditions for meagre wages. These children face chronic food insecurity, respiratory problems, and a lack of access to basic services, including education and healthcare. This hidden crisis demands urgent attention.
To address this issue, Terre des Hommes Netherlands, an international child rights organisation, is launching a powerful documentary that exposes the alarming child labour situation in Madagascar’s mica mines and its devastating impact on children and their families. The documentary serves as a call for immediate end to child labour in the mica mines.
As the fourth-largest mica exporter globally, Madagascar's mica-producing communities face severe poverty exacerbated by droughts and rising food prices, pushing families to send their children to work in the mines. Mica, valued at €0.02 per kilo at the mines, sells for ten times more on the export market due to its use in products from makeup to electric car batteries.
Ending child labour exploitation in the mica mines of Madagascar
The FAMAHA project documentary, titled Ending Child Labour Exploitation in the Mica Mines of Madagascar, features personal stories from project participants, including children and parents, alongside insights from child labour experts. The documentary, which is approximately 14 minutes long, highlights the impact and effects of child labour in the mica mines on the lives of children and parents and sheds light on the interventions implemented under the FAMAHA project. These interventions include educational support for children and alternative income-generating activities for families. Since the project´s inception, approximately 1,200 children have been encouraged to enrol in school, three child clubs have been established, and 201 families have been supported with alternative income-generating activities.
“Child labour in mica mines is a hidden crisis that demands our attention and action. This documentary is a powerful tool to bring this issue to light and inspire change,” said Tsinjoharinosy Rahaingoarivelo, Country Programme Manager, Terre des Hommes Netherlands. “We hope that this documentary will spark a global movement to end child labour in all forms. You and I have a duty to protect children. They have the right to go to school and play.”
Make a difference
The rights of thousands of children in Madagascar are at stake. As part of the Responsible Mica Initiative, we have embarked on a crucial mission to end child labour in the mica mines of Madagascar. Ending child labour in mica mines is a challenging journey, but with your support we will make it. Join us to help stop child labour in the mica mines.