Bonded labour and Slavery
Understanding Bonded Labour
Bonded labour is one of the cruelest forms of modern slavery, where individuals are forced to work indefinitely to repay a high-interest loan—a debt they can rarely escape. Families in impoverished communities often take loans to cover basic survival needs, medical emergencies, or social obligations, unknowingly trapping themselves and their children in a cycle of exploitation.
- Once trapped, bonded labourers and their families are subjected to:
- • Unfair wages that barely sustain them.
- • Manipulated debt records that ensure they remain in servitude.
- • Harsh and dangerous working conditions , often in extreme heat.
- • Physical abuse, threats, and forced labor with no rights.
- • Generational bondage, where children inherit their family’s debt and are forced to work.
The Harsh Reality for Brick Kiln Workers
Pakistan’s brick kiln industry is one of the largest sources of bonded labour, with over 500,000 men, women, and children working under brutal conditions. Many children are born into slavery, never knowing a life outside the suffocating dust and endless rows of bricks.
Javed never had a childhood. At just six years old, he was forced to work in a brick kiln in Punjab, Pakistan, to repay a loan he never took. His family had borrowed money from the kiln owner for basic survival, but what started as a small debt soon became a lifelong sentence of slavery.
Every day, Javed woke before sunrise, his small hands bruised and calloused from endless hours of moulding, stacking, and carrying heavy bricks under the scorching heat. He received only one small meal a day, had no access to education or medical care, and suffered regular beatings for the smallest mistakes.
His debt never decreased—whenever he made an error, the kiln owner increased his loan amount, ensuring he could never leave.
One day, Javed tried to escape, hoping to break free from the endless suffering. But the local police, working in favour of his employer, captured him and returned him to the kiln. After this, Javed lost all hope, believing he would spend his entire life enslaved—just like his father and grandfather before him.
That changed when The Edge Foundation learned about his situation. Our team fought for his freedom, negotiating with the kiln owner and paying off his manipulated debt. After years of suffering, Javed was finally free.
Freedom alone was not enough—Javed needed a way to rebuild his life and provide for his family. Through The Edge Foundation’s Skills Development Programme, he learned screen printing, a skill that gave him a chance to earn a dignified and sustainable income.
With his newfound expertise, Javed was able to:
- Secure stable employment, producing printed fabrics and textiles
- Move his family into safer, better living conditions
- Ensure his children’s education, breaking the generational cycle of slavery
Today, Javed’s three children are enrolled at The Edge Foundation Primary School, where they receive free education, books, and school supplies. Unlike their father, they will never have to set foot in a brick kiln—they now have a real future filled with opportunities.
Javed is no longer a bonded labourer. He is a skilled worker, a father with dignity, and a man with hope. His story is a testament to how education, skills training, and financial aid can transform lives and break the chains of modern slavery.
Javed’s journey to freedom is inspiring, but thousands of families remain trapped in bonded labour. With your support, we can:
Help Us Free More Families Like Javed’s
- • Rescue more children from brick kilns
- • Provide them with education and a future
- • Help freed families gain financial independence
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- The Edge Foundation, P O Box No. 5043, Model Town, A Block Lahore, Pakistan
- info@edgefoundationpk.com
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