Photographer captures the harsh reality of life as a child labourer


*** EXCLUSIVE *** KATHMANDU VALLEY, NEPAL - 25 OCTOBER 2015: Child labourers pose for a photo atop a mound of bricks in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, 25 October 2015. Bleak photos identify the children working their fingers to the bone in Nepalís brick kilns. Photographer Jan M^ller Hansen documented the conditions of the brick kilns in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal between 2013 and 2016 while he lived and worked in the area. Jan estimates between 150,000 and 175,000 people are employed in the 200 brick kilns littering the Kathmandu Valley. PHOTOGRAPH BY Jan Moeller Hansen / Barcroft Images London-T:+44 207 033 1031 E:hello@barcroftmedia.com - New York-T:+1 212 796 2458 E:hello@barcroftusa.com - New Delhi-T:+91 11 4053 2429 E:hello@barcroftindia.com www.barcroftimages.com
(Picture: Barcroft Media)
Photographer Jan Moller Hansen travelled to Nepal in order to document the living and working conditions of the children who work on the brick kilns.
The kilns are a major source of employment for children in the Kathmandu valley. Just miles from where mountain climbing tourists hike, these children are labouring.
Moller hopes that his photographs will bring attention to the situation. If they are unable to prevent the child labour, at least they may be able to provoke an investigation into how the brick kilns are being run.

These photos identify the children working their fingers to the bone in Nepalís brick kilns.

*** EXCLUSIVE *** KATHMANDU VALLEY, NEPAL: Workers seen at a brick kilns in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. Bleak photos identify the children working their fingers to the bone in Nepalís brick kilns. Photographer Jan M^ller Hansen documented the conditions of the brick kilns in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal between 2013 and 2016 while he lived and worked in the area. Jan estimates between 150,000 and 175,000 people are employed in the 200 brick kilns littering the Kathmandu Valley. PHOTOGRAPH BY Jan Moeller Hansen / Barcroft Images London-T:+44 207 033 1031 E:hello@barcroftmedia.com - New York-T:+1 212 796 2458 E:hello@barcroftusa.com - New Delhi-T:+91 11 4053 2429 E:hello@barcroftindia.com www.barcroftimages.com

Photographer Jan Muller Hansen documented the conditions of the brick kilns in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal between 2013 and 2016 while he lived and worked in the area.

*** EXCLUSIVE *** KATHMANDU VALLEY, NEPAL: Workers seen at a brick kilns in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. Bleak photos identify the children working their fingers to the bone in Nepalís brick kilns. Photographer Jan M^ller Hansen documented the conditions of the brick kilns in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal between 2013 and 2016 while he lived and worked in the area. Jan estimates between 150,000 and 175,000 people are employed in the 200 brick kilns littering the Kathmandu Valley. PHOTOGRAPH BY Jan Moeller Hansen / Barcroft Images London-T:+44 207 033 1031 E:hello@barcroftmedia.com - New York-T:+1 212 796 2458 E:hello@barcroftusa.com - New Delhi-T:+91 11 4053 2429 E:hello@barcroftindia.com www.barcroftimages.com

Jan estimates between 150,000 and 175,000 people are employed in the 200 brick kilns littering the Kathmandu Valley

*** EXCLUSIVE *** KATHMANDU VALLEY, NEPAL: Workers seen at a brick kilns in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. Bleak photos identify the children working their fingers to the bone in Nepalís brick kilns. Photographer Jan M^ller Hansen documented the conditions of the brick kilns in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal between 2013 and 2016 while he lived and worked in the area. Jan estimates between 150,000 and 175,000 people are employed in the 200 brick kilns littering the Kathmandu Valley. PHOTOGRAPH BY Jan Moeller Hansen / Barcroft Images London-T:+44 207 033 1031 E:hello@barcroftmedia.com - New York-T:+1 212 796 2458 E:hello@barcroftusa.com - New Delhi-T:+91 11 4053 2429 E:hello@barcroftindia.com www.barcroftimages.com
(Picture: Barcroft Media)

The photographer explained, ‘The workers are poor and often need to borrow money with really high-interest rates.’

*** EXCLUSIVE *** KATHMANDU VALLEY, NEPAL: Workers seen at a brick kilns in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. Bleak photos identify the children working their fingers to the bone in Nepalís brick kilns. Photographer Jan M^ller Hansen documented the conditions of the brick kilns in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal between 2013 and 2016 while he lived and worked in the area. Jan estimates between 150,000 and 175,000 people are employed in the 200 brick kilns littering the Kathmandu Valley. PHOTOGRAPH BY Jan Moeller Hansen / Barcroft Images London-T:+44 207 033 1031 E:hello@barcroftmedia.com - New York-T:+1 212 796 2458 E:hello@barcroftusa.com - New Delhi-T:+91 11 4053 2429 E:hello@barcroftindia.com www.barcroftimages.com
(Picture: Barcroft Media)

‘This ties them into a system of loans and debt with the brick kiln owners and forces them to work in the kilns for years. No monthly salaries are paid.’ says Moller.

*** EXCLUSIVE *** KATHMANDU VALLEY, NEPAL - 12 JANUARY 2014: A young worker piles bricks on top of his head in the midst of a vast pile of bricks from the kiln in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, 12 January 2014. Bleak photos identify the children working their fingers to the bone in Nepalís brick kilns. Photographer Jan M^ller Hansen documented the conditions of the brick kilns in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal between 2013 and 2016 while he lived and worked in the area. Jan estimates between 150,000 and 175,000 people are employed in the 200 brick kilns littering the Kathmandu Valley. PHOTOGRAPH BY Jan Moeller Hansen / Barcroft Images London-T:+44 207 033 1031 E:hello@barcroftmedia.com - New York-T:+1 212 796 2458 E:hello@barcroftusa.com - New Delhi-T:+91 11 4053 2429 E:hello@barcroftindia.com www.barcroftimages.com

‘Often the workers are enumerated at the end of the season, which means they have to stay on until the end of the season.’

*** EXCLUSIVE *** KATHMANDU VALLEY, NEPAL: Workers seen at a brick kilns in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. Bleak photos identify the children working their fingers to the bone in Nepalís brick kilns. Photographer Jan M^ller Hansen documented the conditions of the brick kilns in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal between 2013 and 2016 while he lived and worked in the area. Jan estimates between 150,000 and 175,000 people are employed in the 200 brick kilns littering the Kathmandu Valley. PHOTOGRAPH BY Jan Moeller Hansen / Barcroft Images London-T:+44 207 033 1031 E:hello@barcroftmedia.com - New York-T:+1 212 796 2458 E:hello@barcroftusa.com - New Delhi-T:+91 11 4053 2429 E:hello@barcroftindia.com www.barcroftimages.com

Moller also said: ‘Some of the children, who have been assigned work in the brick kilns through middlemen, have also learnt to lie about their age. They will tell you that they are above 16 years of age, but it’s often a lie.’

*** EXCLUSIVE *** KATHMANDU VALLEY, NEPAL - 22 FEBRUARY 2015: A group of dust covered child labourers gather for a portrait in the brick kiln in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, 22 February 2015. Bleak photos identify the children working their fingers to the bone in Nepalís brick kilns. Photographer Jan M^ller Hansen documented the conditions of the brick kilns in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal between 2013 and 2016 while he lived and worked in the area. Jan estimates between 150,000 and 175,000 people are employed in the 200 brick kilns littering the Kathmandu Valley. PHOTOGRAPH BY Jan Moeller Hansen / Barcroft Images London-T:+44 207 033 1031 E:hello@barcroftmedia.com - New York-T:+1 212 796 2458 E:hello@barcroftusa.com - New Delhi-T:+91 11 4053 2429 E:hello@barcroftindia.com www.barcroftimages.com

(Picture: Barcroft Media)
*** EXCLUSIVE *** KATHMANDU VALLEY, NEPAL: Workers seen at a brick kilns in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. Bleak photos identify the children working their fingers to the bone in Nepalís brick kilns. Photographer Jan M^ller Hansen documented the conditions of the brick kilns in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal between 2013 and 2016 while he lived and worked in the area. Jan estimates between 150,000 and 175,000 people are employed in the 200 brick kilns littering the Kathmandu Valley. PHOTOGRAPH BY Jan Moeller Hansen / Barcroft Images London-T:+44 207 033 1031 E:hello@barcroftmedia.com - New York-T:+1 212 796 2458 E:hello@barcroftusa.com - New Delhi-T:+91 11 4053 2429 E:hello@barcroftindia.com www.barcroftimages.com

(Picture: Barcroft Media)

Moller went on to explain: ‘I find it disturbing to see young women and children living and working under such conditions. Why can’t the authorities ensure that the brick industry starts to treat the workers in a fair and respectable manner?’

*** EXCLUSIVE *** KATHMANDU VALLEY, NEPAL - 22 FEBRUARY 2015: The kiln workers live in shabby makeshift houses during the work season which runs from November to April in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, 22 February 2015. Bleak photos identify the children working their fingers to the bone in Nepalís brick kilns. Photographer Jan M^ller Hansen documented the conditions of the brick kilns in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal between 2013 and 2016 while he lived and worked in the area. Jan estimates between 150,000 and 175,000 people are employed in the 200 brick kilns littering the Kathmandu Valley. PHOTOGRAPH BY Jan Moeller Hansen / Barcroft Images London-T:+44 207 033 1031 E:hello@barcroftmedia.com - New York-T:+1 212 796 2458 E:hello@barcroftusa.com - New Delhi-T:+91 11 4053 2429 E:hello@barcroftindia.com www.barcroftimages.com
(Picture: Barcroft Media)

Not all of the children are working to earn money for their parents, either. ‘Some of the children are also brought into the brick kilns by middlemen called naikes. The naikes trade the children with the brick kiln owners and get commission.’

*** EXCLUSIVE *** KATHMANDU VALLEY, NEPAL - 21 FEBRUARY 2015: A group of child labourers gather for a portrait in the midst of the brick kiln in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, 21 February 2015. Bleak photos identify the children working their fingers to the bone in Nepalís brick kilns. Photographer Jan M^ller Hansen documented the conditions of the brick kilns in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal between 2013 and 2016 while he lived and worked in the area. Jan estimates between 150,000 and 175,000 people are employed in the 200 brick kilns littering the Kathmandu Valley. PHOTOGRAPH BY Jan Moeller Hansen / Barcroft Images London-T:+44 207 033 1031 E:hello@barcroftmedia.com - New York-T:+1 212 796 2458 E:hello@barcroftusa.com - New Delhi-T:+91 11 4053 2429 E:hello@barcroftindia.com www.barcroftimages.com
(Picture: Barcroft Media)

Moller is concerned about how this practise represents Nepal, saying: ‘It gives a bad perception of the society, authorities and the businessmen who are responsible for what’s going on. I am aware of the reasons why children work in the brick kilns but these explanations, as good as they might be, do not justify such practices.

*** EXCLUSIVE *** KATHMANDU VALLEY, NEPAL - 20 MARCH 2016: As two children head off to school two others push wheelbarrows during their brick kiln shifts in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, 20 March 2016. Bleak photos identify the children working their fingers to the bone in Nepalís brick kilns. Photographer Jan M^ller Hansen documented the conditions of the brick kilns in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal between 2013 and 2016 while he lived and worked in the area. Jan estimates between 150,000 and 175,000 people are employed in the 200 brick kilns littering the Kathmandu Valley. PHOTOGRAPH BY Jan Moeller Hansen / Barcroft Images London-T:+44 207 033 1031 E:hello@barcroftmedia.com - New York-T:+1 212 796 2458 E:hello@barcroftusa.com - New Delhi-T:+91 11 4053 2429 E:hello@barcroftindia.com www.barcroftimages.com

Moller feels that things need to change. ‘In the 21st century there ought to be no justification for child labour of this kind. It’s a very bad human practice. It’s a violation of human and child rights.’


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