The story of child cobalt miners, enduring 12 hours of hard labour daily for as little as 8p has surfaced again. We were introduced to Dorsen (8), Richard (11) and Monica (4) by Alex Crawford of Sky News earlier this year. The footage is heartbreaking. Apple who PROFIT from these children say they are leading the smartphone industry standards. They say they are protecting these children, but they are not. Amnesty International agrees, their policy is not worth the paper it's written on.
If Apple lead the industry - they must do better. They must support charities which help these children and their families to live a life away from the mines. This work is dangerous, a health hazard and uses adult and child labour in slave conditions.
I raised my voice earlier this year and started a campaign. Dorsen and Richard are now SAFE. They are being supported by a Congo Children's Trust, a charity started by Ian Harvey who lives in Manchester, whose auntie has run a hospital in DR Congo for over 50 years. This charity is greatly supported by unpaid volunteers and can do so much more if people and COMPANIES LIKE APPLE donated.
The Facebook film of Dorsen, Richard and Monica has been viewed 45 million times. People do care. Why doesn't APPLE?
You can donate to the Congo Children Trust via https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/from-exploitation-in-mines-to-a-hope-filled-future/
You can find out more about our compaign via www.cobaltchildren.org
If we can transform Dorsen and Richard's lives - we can do the same for so many children who are suffering right now. If you own a smartphone, or any equipment with a rechargeable battery - then, unfortunately, we are complicit with a trade that uses child labour. Let's put pressure on APPLE to do the right thing.
THANK YOU for caring.
Flinty Maguire. Unpaid activist and volunteer.
