Gem Slaves: Tanzanite's child labour - Part - 2

Mererani in northern Tanzania is the only place on earth where the precious stone tanzanite is mined. Every day thousands of children risk their lives in poorly constructed mine shafts for barely a meal a day. Despite efforts to curb this deadly practice, the global thirst for tanzanite continues to drive these children underground.

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Nonprofits & Activism

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• IRIN
• OneWorldTV
• Africa
• Child
• labour
• mining
• tanzanite
• tanzania
• NGO
• poverty
• Bling
• slavery
• Blood
• diamond
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[afstar4]

this is an amazing movie, please give some suggestions as to what the average person can do to help

[Howitzer909]

Don't buy Tanzanite. Inform others. Help kill the trade. Hit the big businessmen in the pockets.

[zeldasonicfan]

@afstar4 JTV has the Tanzanite Foundation that is supposed to help in situations like this. The info is on jtv.com

[TheButterflyeffect21]

"But while a minority of those in the tanzanite business have built a fortune from the gem, Mererani children remain caught in the grip of poverty."

I don't think buying the gem is helping the children in any way.

[vingespenn]

no mining companies use children in the mines,,, to stop buying Tanzanite will only hurt this kids more,, there dads, there family's are all depended in the mining,

Tanzania is developing fast,, my country Norway was having child miners for about a 100 years ago,,,,let this society grow,,so living condition can be better for this poor families ,, to kill the business will make all worse , no mining companies as i know use child workers,

[vingespenn]

child miners mostly work in family operated small mines,,, to help dad uncle cousins ore brothers,, few miners make more then 75 to 80 dollars a month in salary,,( same for most labor in Tanzania),and for the family to survive children are asked to help, to stop buying Tanzanite will make the hole society to suffer, , most children in this part of Tanzania is washing stones in the river for Tanzanite and are not working deep down in mine shaft,,, this kids are free enterprises

[clairescheepers]

@Howitzer909  Why not rather just buy tanzanite from the companies that mine it ethically? that look after their staff and would NEVER EVER use children to mine their stones? These people improve living conditions and the lives of the people mining tanzanite.... you can see photo's of this mine on the tanzagemsafrica website

[clairescheepers]

@Howitzer909 Why not rather just buy tanzanite from the companies that mine it ethically? that look after their staff and would NEVER EVER use children to mine their stones? These people improve living conditions and the lives of the people mining tanzanite....

[jellochick23]

this is truly sad i wouldnt like it at all if i had to do this and i agree with the boy i would lock the people up its not fair for kids if they dont get an education

[jgloyce]

jamani wabongo we need to improve our ways jamani!!! we need to work hard!! i kno we hav had a many set-backs but we need to do a better job!!!

[nhojcam]

...in order to live, we Americans would put our kids to work too. sad, but true.