The Journey of a Brick Kiln Child Laborer to a Master’s Degree Holder Is the Story of Triumph of the Human Spirit

Sivakumar, a resident of the Dharmapuri village of Karagoor faced many hardships as a child.  He was born into a poor Irular household and was compelled to work at a brick kiln with his uncle after his father, a daily-wage laborer, passed away. The youngster also took the brunt of the harassment and suffering that came from the kiln supervisors. He was rescued by an NGO and was later brought back home in 2003 when he was 10 years old. Lack of funds forced him to start working odd jobs once more, but with volunteers' assistance, he eventually joined the National Child Labour Project (NCLP) school and continued his education. Sivakumar completed his Class 10 through a correspondence course when he was 19 years old. He then enrolled in Class 11 at the age of 21. Despite all obstacles, Shivkumar was determined to learn. He was aware that the only way he could positively impact his community was through education. His sole motivation for earning a master's degree in social work was to be able to assist his community. He said that Irular youngsters were forced to work as laborers due to poverty, while girls ended up in child marriages. Shivkumar made up his mind to end such vices in society.