In the past five years, 104 of our sponsored children have attained their School Leaving Certificates (SLC), equivalent to high school diplomas. Last year, just over 68 percent of all Nepali students made it through this "iron gate," a non-negotiable barrier between children and further education. That so many of our students have done so is a significant accomplishment. Each came into our programs from a stolen childhood, absent the basics of literacy, numeracy, and social skills. Meet 2009 high school graduate Phul Maya Lama. After losing her father to tuberculosis, Phul Maya was sent from her rural home to Kathmandu to find work at age 10. For two years, she was forced to weave rugs in a loom shed for 17 hours a day. Then she was found by Child Labor Watch inspectors. After excelling in her classes at a CLW rehabilitation center, she was admitted to Nepal's Little Angels' School. Phul Maya just received her SLC. In her words, "I shall ever be thankful and grateful to [Child Labor Watch] for taking me out of the dungeon of a factory and providing me with an opportunity to be educated in one of the most prestigious schools of the country...I feel really proud." Phul Maya plans to become a social worker so she can help children from her region. Her story reflects the far-reaching impact of Child Labor Watch's programs. Children who have received educational and vocational sponsorships from CLW share a sense of community and a desire to help others achieve what they have accomplished.
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