ILAB News Release: [10/04/2004]
Contact Name: Jane Norris or Mike
Biddle
Phone Number: (202) 693-4676 or x5051
U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao Announces $23 Million
In Grants to World Vision and Catholic Relief Services
Grants Fund Education Programs in Africa and Latin America
To Help Child Labor Victims
WASHINGTONU.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao today announced
the award of $23 million in grants to World Vision and Catholic Relief Services
for education programs in Africa and Latin America. The Labor Department
awarded these grants under its Child Labor Education Initiative through a
competitive bidding process.
“This $23 million in grants will increase access to educational opportunities
for African and Latin American children,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine
E. Chao. “Everything possible must be done to combat the scourge of child
labor and ensure that these youths have a bright future.”
World Vision has been awarded a $14.5 million grant aimed at providing educational
opportunities to HIV/AIDS affected children and youth who are working or
at risk of participating in exploitive labor. World Vision will implement
this project in partnership with the International Rescue Committee and the
Academy for Educational Development. World Vision has also been awarded a
$3.5 million grant aimed at providing educational opportunities to children
working or at risk of entering into the informal cut-flower sector of Colombia.
Catholic Relief Service (CRS) has been awarded a $3 million grant that will
combat child labor in the banana and cut-flower industries of Ecuador through
the provision of educational services. In Ecuador, CRS will work with a consortium
of international, local and faith-based organizations, including Save the
Children UK, CARE International, the Ecuadorian Catholic Episcopal Conference
and the Fundación Wong. In addition, CRS has been awarded a $2 million
grant to conduct research and community awareness-raising, and implement
pilot initiatives to improve access to quality education for children who
are at-risk of or engaged in exploitive child labor in Niger. In this project,
CRS will be working in partnership with World Vision and Plan International.
In 2003, World Vision International received a $5 million grant from USDOL
to educate children removed from the worst forms of child labor in the Philippines.
Also in 2003, Catholic Relief Services received a $2 million grant from USDOL
to combat child trafficking in Benin. Secretary Chao launched the CRS project
in Benin in December 2003 during a trip to Africa.
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