How Millions Are Trapped In Modern-Day Slavery At Brick Kilns In Pakistan | Risky Business

Narrator: 70-year-old Vasanti Meghwar spends her days making bricks to pay off a debt. So does her son, Poonjo, his wife, and their son, Dileep. It's the only life the 12-year-old has ever known. The family borrowed money from the owner of the brick kiln more than two decades ago to pay a hospital bill. Now, they spend long days breathing in dust under the scorching desert sun and firing bricks in massive underground kilns. Narrator: And they don't know if they'll ever get out of here. The owner

of the kiln tells them he's keeping half of the money they earn to make payments on their loan. But Poonjo hasn't seen the contract since he signed with his thumbprint 23 years ago. And there's no record of how much is left to pay. Narrator: The Meghwars are among the millions of people in Pakistan who spend their lives making bricks to pay off debts to wealthy landowners. These bricks will be used in construction projects across Pakistan. But families take home so little, they often have to ke

ep borrowing more just to get by. Lawyers say these bricks are part of a system of modern-day slavery. So how are so many families stuck in this endless cycle of debt? And why are they being overlooked? Narrator: This brick kiln is in the heart of the Thar Desert in Pakistan. Temperatures here can reach up to 122 degrees Fahrenheit. 150 families work and live here. Most people are at the very bottom of the Hindu caste system. They're called Dalit, and they often work the least desirable jobs. Th

e Meghwars' family of five shares just a one-room house and this tent. Narrator: Dileep started working in the clay fields when he was just 7. Narrator: Every day, they hand over their quota of 1,500 bricks. They get paid $1.50 and are told that another $1.50 goes toward their loan payments. But they have to keep borrowing more just to get by. Narrator: And they don't know how much interest is being added. The family thinks they still owe about $560. Meanwhile, the owner of the kiln could bring

in that same amount in about a week just by selling the bricks the Meghwars make. Insider reached out to the owner. He refused to comment on how the quota and debt scheme works. Still, the family does not blame him. Narrator: To make the clay for these bricks, workers first need to dig up dirt. Narrator: Then, Dileep adds water and mixes the mud for hours until it turns into clay. Narrator: Breathing in all this dust is the main cause of death here, especially among children. Narrator: The Meghw

ars used to herd cattle. One day, the family borrowed money from a wealthy kiln owner to pay a hospital bill. They say it was their only option, because like millions of others in Pakistan, they don't have a bank account or know how to read. So the Meghwars weren't even sure what the terms were. They still don't know. Poonjo's mother, Vasanti, joined the family here 12 years ago to help erase their debt. Narrator: The 70-year-old says this work has worn down her knees and made it harder to walk.

Narrator: While her family keeps working, Vasanti leaves for a while to make lunch. Narrator: Inflation has made life harder lately. Narrator: Donkeys help move up to 5,000 bricks from the plots to the kilns every day. The bricks are buried inside this oval-shaped structure, where they'll bake. Workers stack them so that hot air can flow in between. Narrator: They cover the top with sand. Then they make holes and fill the gaps between the bricks with wood. This part of the job is so dangerous,

workers didn't even want us coming near them. Narrator: The ground here is hot, and the temperature inside the kilns can exceed 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Sometimes the tops of these structures cave in. In July 2022, three people were burned alive when they dropped down into the blazing kiln. Narrator: Construction sites across the country use these bricks in everything from lining bridges and canals to building homes. Narrator: The bricks are durable and fireproof, but making them causes a lot o

f pollution. More than 20% of brick kiln workers in Pakistan have chronic breathing problems. These fumes are full of carbon monoxide and sulfur, which can harm the eyes, lungs, throat, and skin. There are about 20,000 kilns like this one in Pakistan, and 100,000 more scattered across South Asia. They account for over 91% of air pollution in some cities. As of November 2022, Pakistan's Environmental Protection Agency has closed nearly 70 kilns because of over-pollution. Another big problem with

these kilns is child labor. Zahid Thebo has worked with the Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child, or SPARC, since 2006. His team visits brick kilns when the owners aren't around to check up on working conditions. Narrator: Child labor is against the law in Pakistan. But estimates have found that about a third of workers at brick kilns are underage. And in some places, more than half aren't even 10 years old. The owner of the kiln where Dileep's at denied that any children work t

here. Narrator: What happens at brick kilns falls under the legal definition of debt bondage. And it isn't just happening in Pakistan. Reports suggests there are nearly 25 million people trapped in modern-day slavery across Asia and the Pacific regions alone. The only industry where it's more common than in brick production is farming. Pakistan's constitution made bonded labor illegal in 1992. Narrator: The department of labor here in Sindh province told us it can't prove there's debt bondage at

these kilns because there are no records that the families officially work there. But experts say kiln owners often have government ties, which makes it easier to escape enforcement. Narrator: The Brick Kiln Owners' Association Zahid refers to didn't get back to us, but their website says they're committed to eliminating bonded labor and protecting workers' rights. Zahid says his NGO brings families' cases to court. Narrator: Since it started in 1992, SPARC has helped free over 17,000 workers.

Narrator: The NGO moves the families to a camp called Azad Nagar, which means "free city." Most here still work at kilns, but they don't owe money. Narrator: Pannu Faqeer started making bricks when he was 8 years old after his family took out a loan. Narrator: We reached out to the local police department, who denied any allegations of violence. A court order helped clear Pannu's family debt over two decades ago, and he's been living here ever since. Now he works with Zahid to free other workers

. Narrator: Pannu travels with families to court if they get a date. But he says he faces threats from kiln owners and was even attacked during a workers rights protest near the colony in 2013. Narrator: He says it's a price worth paying to help others like him. Narrator: But residents here don't have running water, and there's no school. The NGO says it has requested aid from the government. Narrator: Still, people living in Azad Nagar feel lucky to have escaped the cycle of debt, and today the

y're celebrating a wedding at the colony. Narrator: Zahid is the guest of honor. Narrator: Back at the kiln, Poonjo's wife, Rani, starts cooking dinner at sunset. She's kneading do to make roti. Narrator: With this debt looming over the family, their options are limited. Narrator: Dileep also says he has little to look forward to except hanging out with his friend. Narrator: For them, it's a treat to buy a bag of rice snacks once a week. Narrator: Dileep says he doesn't think he'll ever have the

chance to learn how to read. He has accepted his fate, but he hopes others don't take their education for granted.