Our national partners and representatives dropped in to brick kilns in Poduvoyal. It is  located near TJS Engineering College. The purpose of this visit was to gain insights into the live hood of migrant workers employed in these brick kilns. Mr. Deepak introduced himself and provided us with an overview of the service which offered to the welfare of brick kiln workers. While most people are aware of brick kilns, it is important to understand how government agencies and organizations like ours collaborate to protect the rights and well-being of migrant workers employed in Tamil Nadu’s brick kilns, both within and outside of the state. We had meaningful discussions with them about their challenges and difficulties faced while living in this setting. One aspect that was highlighted that the education oftheir children. Initially, it was extremely challenging for us to have a dialogue with them.

However, we began to build rapport with the children. Gradually, we were able to enter their chambers where we started to conduct the educational sessions as well. We took careful steps towards gathering basic information from workers regarding the issues related specifically to their children. Furthermore, there has been a significant development on this front as well – a recent directive from Tamil Nadu government has mandated that all children should attend schools closest to their place of residence for proper education instruction purposes

We progressively employed Odia teachers to educate their children in their native language.We provided training for instructors on how to teach the students based on the curriculum. We had meetingin every other Saturday. The transportation of children was taken care of by the owner, while meals, school uniforms, and other necessary items were supplied by both Tamil Nadu government and DBMS. Teacher salaries were also funded by Tamil Nadu government. DBMS organized various awareness camps for brick kiln workers which covered topics such as safety regulations and laws as well as registration procedures and education opportunities.

DBMS actively addressed challenges and issues faced by workers in brick kilns including cases involving deaths at these sites or rescuing individuals trapped in bonded labor situations. They also focused on providing medical care for workers and creating initiatives focused on child welfare such as monitoring child labor practices. The working conditions endured by these workers were brought into focus; they often worked long hours exceeding 16-18 hours per day with minimal breaks or only six hours of sleep per night. Access to electricity was limited during daytime hours with availability mainly restricted to nighttime work purposes only. Living quarters consisted of small rooms making it difficult for families consisting of five or six people to comfortably reside together without proper toilet or bathing facilities resulting in additional hardships particularly affecting women.

Working in brick kilns poses health hazards for workers due to long-term exposure to dangerous gases, high temperatures, and dust. The inhalation of silica dust and other airborne particles during the brick molding, drying, and firing processes puts employees at risk of developing respiratory conditions. Chronic health issues like silicosis, bronchitis, and asthma have been documented among brick kiln workers. Furthermore, Fr. Bosco and Fr. Simolin discussed migrations related to brick kilns during the delegates’ visit. They also had the opportunity to tour chambers, meet with owners of the kilns as well as laborers in order to gain a better understanding of their work experiences. This allowed for an introduction between the owners/workers and delegates so that they could learn more about each other’s perspectives on the job.

VISIT TO ANBU ILLAM YAR SECTOR

Following that, we visited Don Bosco Anbuillam Kaverapettai, where we had the opportunity to have a meeting  with the Rector of AnbuIllam. Father Rector extended a warm welcome to our group and engaged in a discussion regarding the various services provided by AnbuIllam. During this discussion, Father emphasized on the intricacies of their work, including how they implement initiatives for fathers, provide care for underprivileged and disadvantaged boys, and ensure their education. To conclude our visit, Father Rector graciously offered us lunch which we all enjoyed. We expressed our gratitude to him for such an insightful session and delightful meal. The excursion to both the brick kiln tour and AnbuIllam Kaverapettai proved to be truly enlightening experiences for almost every delegate in attendance.