Abdul Mateen
Every child deserves education, protection, and the freedom to dream. Poverty should never force a child into labor or take away their childhood. Education gives children hope, confidence, and the power to change the world.
Abdul Mateen (16), from Pakistan, grew up in an extremely poor family. His father works at a brick kiln to support six children with limited resources. Seeing poverty and child labor firsthand shaped Abdul’s understanding of injustice and inspired him to help other children access education.
Abdul has personally helped more than 20 children who were engaged in child labor enroll in non-formal education programs. He also regularly organizes and joins awareness sessions with children and parents, highlighting the importance of education and the harms of child labor.
Through these efforts, Abdul has directly reached more than 50 people in his community. He also encourages his peers to stay in school, leading by example and showing that young people can speak up when they see injustice around them.
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