April 2005. Ms. Manjuri Begum, a lawyer working in Meherpur Judge Court, Bangladesh, brought six year-old A to her home in 2001 to act as a domestic worker. Before working for Ms. Begum, A* had often gone hungry at her own home because her parents were landless and day laborers. A's family felt that they had few other options but to send her off because they had four other children that they could ill-afford. Ms. Begum took A and paid her family BDT 100 per month for her work. A never thought of an education.

The first two years passed as expected at the house of Advocate Manjuri Begum. During the third year, A started to carry the school bag of Ms. Begum's youngest child to school. Dreams of education were germinating in her mind. She asked Ms. Begum for schooling. She asked for an education.

As an educated person, Ms. Begum could understand A's wish, but it was difficult for her to send her servant to full time/formal schooling because she felt there was no one else who could assist her family in A's absence.

Time passed. During a baseline survey conducted by MUK in 2004, Ms. Begum came forward and exposed her situation. She had heard that CIRCLE partner MUK was supporting non-formal education centers for child laborers. She said that she had wanted to help little A for some time, but could not figure out how to do so. MUK worked with Ms. Begum and her family to establish a plan that could meet the needs of both Ms. Begum's family and satisfy A's right to an education. A was enrolled in MUK centre 13 in Amjhupi South Para. Now she studies in grade-III module for two hours a day. She hopes to enroll in formal school one day.

When A reached 11 years old, her salary increased to BDT 200 per month. She was able to send money home to her parents to help them and her other siblings. Her parents, however, were unhappy; they believed that she deserved more for her work. They hinted that they could benefit more if they engaged A as a day laborer or somewhere else. They negotiated with Advocate Manjuri Begum and with MUK staff, but to no avail. Last March, Ms. Begum finally decided to send A to her parents.

A refused to go and started a hunger strike that lasted for 16 hours. She wanted to stay with the lawyer's family and to continue her studies. Ms. Begum was touched by A's determination and decided to pay her BDT 500 per month. She asked MUK staff to assist her, and on April 23, a meeting was convened with A's family. Ms. Begum agreed to continue to pay this salary to the family as long as A continued her studies. A's family accepted. Both A's and Ms. Begum's family are satisfied with the little girl's progress in school. She seems to have a new bounce in her step.

Funding provided by the United States Department of Labor under cooperative agreements E-9-K-2-0048 and E-9-K-4-0005.
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