A Voice for Child Laborers

Maura Welch
Syracuse, NY 
Issue: Child Labor 
Age: 16

Since 1999, 16-year-old Maura Welch has been raising awareness about child labor and the obstacles that keep millions of children from going to school.

Maura's work began when she attended the United Nations Student Conference on Human Rights. Shortly thereafter, she started a local chapter of Kids Can Free the Children, an international network of young people dedicated to helping children living in poor areas of the world. Working closely with others her age, she helped raise funds to build schools in Africa and Latin America.

In 2000, Maura journeyed to Mexico to meet with children as young as twelve working in sweatshops 14 hours a day, six days a week. Returning to New York, she served as the conduit for these children's stories. After she told her peers about Consuela, a young girl she met who

dreamed of attending college, they were inspired to raise money to send Consuela to school. Today, she is in her third year of college.

This is just one story among many which depict Maura's unwavering commitment to inspiring young people to help children around the world, particularly child laborers. Her convictions have taken her to over 100 schools, churches, conferences and festivals, where she has spread the word about children's rights, and in many cases, fanned the first flames of activism in others. She has championed the issue across the U.S., including Washington, D.C. where she joined Senator Hillary Clinton in calling for access to education for all children. Her commitment to helping children has also brought her to Peru and Ecuador, and today, she is working to raise awareness about child soldiers in Kenya.

Maura is a committed activist who believes it is never too early for young people to get involved in global issues. "I think as youth we have a very powerful voice and can change the world!" she says.

Where are they now?

From New Delhi to Calcutta, a year abroad in India gave 2004 Global Action Award honoree Maura an opportunity to experience some of the poorest areas of the world—and the progress that is being made in the fight against global poverty.
Read about her year >>