Scout activity in conjunction with World Day Against Child Labour

Truly a Ticket to Life

Scouts are reaching out to children in or at risk of child labour through the Scout “Ticket to Life” project.

News | 11 June 2015
Each year, on World Day Against Child Labour, the ILO and the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) issue a joint circular to encourage Scouts to get involved in the campaign against child labour. The ILO and WOSM have been working in partnership since 2004 to raise awareness and mobilise action against child labour. Over the years, Scouts have increasingly become involved in activities which reach out to children in or at risk of child labour, through Scout projects such as "Ticket to Life." Below is an extract from a Scout article on the “Ticket to Life” project in the Philippines, where Scouts have reached out to street children and changed their lives.

Ticket to Life is a flagship project by the Asia-Pacific Region of the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM). Started in 2006, it is now in its ninth year of operation. The project involves street children, guided and mentored by young but trained volunteer Scout leaders of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines’ (BSP) Youth Programme. The Programme inspires the street children to learn teamwork and leadership, and assimilate the values of Scouting: “Duty to others” and “Duty to self”.

In conjunction with the World Day Against Child Labour on 12 June, let us continue to take action to help end child labour and make sure every child has the opportunity to attend school and receive formal and non-formal education. Let us all work together to say “NO to child labour, YES to quality education” to create a better world for our children and the generations to come. #Nochildlabour
During a visit to the Philippines recently, Global Director of Communications & External Relations of the World Scout Bureau, Lin Lin Yeoh, met with several individuals involved in the project, from the street children to the Parish Priest and the Project’s National Coordinator. Here is an account of her visit.

Truly a Ticket to Life

“Yes...” that was his response when in January 2014 His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden asked if he could lead a Scout troop some day. The King of Sweden was then on a visit to the Ticket to Life Project in the Philippines.

Today, six years after being actively involved in Scouting, Jerwin Gonzales is the leader of the Ticket to Life - St John Bosco Scout Troop in Malate, Manila.

A street child, who did drugs and was thrown into jail for theft, whose life was in shambles, is now responsible for 27 street children between eight and 12 years old in the APR Ticket To Life project.

“Scouting gives me hope,” said 20-year-old Jerwin. His parents, once feeling hopeless, are now pleased to see the positive change in their eldest son. His sister is now an active Scout in the Ticket to Life project too.
Life is far from easy for Jerwin who has started work as a janitor in a shopping mall. He, however, hopes that through his involvement in Scouting, he will continue to develop into a better person with strong life values. His ambition is to be a seafarer, “to earn a better living to support my family”.

Another street child who joined the programme a year ago is Andrea. She is 11 years old but looks more like a six-year-old.

Unlike young teens her age, her life is far from carefree; on her shoulders lies the heavy responsibility of minding her two-year-old brother after school daily. And “home” to her and her seven siblings, tricycle peddlar father and street sweeper mother is on the streets.

“My parents are too busy working to feed us. They do not have the time to care for me and my siblings. They will only tell me to “take care of myself,” said Andrea. “I love Scouting; it teaches me to be respectful to others. And I enjoy the activities. I have made many friends too,” she added. Despite the very difficult living conditions, Andrea is progressing well in school. In a recent school examination, she secured the fourth position in a class of 44 students. “I want to be a nurse,” she said. “I want to help others.”



Extract from “Truly a ticket for life”, published by WOSM and available at: http://scout.org/node/72156. Copyright © World Scouting.