My 2010 Hope List

Even the most cynical among us probably harbour a belief that the new year will bring new hope. Even though it is just another day, it is symbolic of a new start.

My hope list for 2010 is just so long...I hope for freedom from poverty, freedom from child abuse, freedom from child labour, freedom from all forms of oppression, freedom from discrimination, freedom from exploitation, freedom from injustices... and most of all... the freedom for all the children in the world to live a life free from war, strifes, hunger and pain.

House rennovation going at snail pace (4)

Four and a half months after it all started. Almost there but still not quite. Contractor gave his assurance to deliver by 30th December.

Christmas wishes

Christmas lights in laid back city, Shah Alam, Malaysia, a place I had called home for the last 10 years.



All dressed up for a slumber party?

May the spirit of Christmas brings you peace,

The gladness of Christmas gives you hope,

The warmth of Christmas grants you love.

The hazardous nature of child labour!

In 2008 a rapid assessment of child labour in non-traditional mining was carried out by the Mining Sector Diversification Programme (funded by the European Commission) in partnership with the ILO’s Time Bound Programme Support for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour Project for Zambia (funded by the U.S. Department of Labor).

The assessment found that child labour continues to exist in mining and that children are involved in all aspects of the production chain as well as in informal sector stone crushing (quarrying). Children, some as young as seven years, carry out support functions in the mining areas such as fetching water, preparing and selling food, and, in some instances, in the actual mining operation. It provides clear evidence of the hazardous nature of many of the children's tasks; their exposure to toxic substances and extreme heat, lifting heavy loads, working long hours and working at night.

Full article at https://webdev.ilo.org/pls/apex/f?p=109:51:844024720561387::::P51_CONTENT_ID:18275:

If you think you are deprived...

If you think you are deprived and miserable...please look at these pictures!

Hands of 8 year old Munna working in a rickshaw parts factory! He works 10 hours a day and gets USD8 equivalent a month! Picture from http://www.zoriah.net/blog/

13 year old Islam in a silver pot making factory. He has been working here for 2 years, under very hazardous conditions! Picture from http://www.zoriah.net/blog/

Children at a brick crushing factory. Picture from http://www.zoriah.net/blog/

An 11 year old in a silver pot making factory in Dhaka. He had been working in this factory for 3 years, getting the equivalent of USD10 a month. Picture from http://www.zoriah.net/blog/

A young labourer making metal components in a factory in Dhaka, Bangladesh . Picture from http://www.zoriah.net/blog/

7 year old Jasmine collecting rubblish from a rubbish heap on a cold winter morning in Kajla to support her family! Picture from http://www.zoriah.net/blog/

Child selling balloons in the streets of New Delhi. Picture from http://www.sadashivan.com/

Although numerous international treaties and organizations work tirelessly to improve conditions for children, there are still 320 million children under the age of sixteen working around the world—150 million of those in the most harmful industries.

Let us be content

Let us be content, my soul,

With what the years have brought.

We desired a heaven, but it seems we were caught,

In the net of mundane things.

We trod the old prosaic path of humdrum circumstance.

And yet it has been good, my soul,

For looking back today - I see there was a golden light on the familier way.

Quoted from Patient Strong's "Thoughts for Every Day"

Shopping

More window shopping /shopping for furnitures.

A modest looking dining table... still under consideration. Need to see more options.

A nice day bed, but the arm rest is on the wrong side for me

A very comfortable day bed with arm rest on the left as I wanted, but a bit expensive

A lovely setting in brown/beige. Chose the 2+3 sitters, not the 2 chairs...look nice but I think not comfortable