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Carole Mikita ReportingFreeing children from slave labor, that's the aim of a group of young people who, in just a few years, created the world's largest network of children helping children.
Canadian Craig Kielburger was just 12-years-old when a newspaper article inspired him to help children in Third World Countries.
Craig Kielburger, "Free the Children" founder: "I saw an article about a young child slave and he was free and he spoke out against slavery. And at the age of 12 he was murdered, he was shot dead in Pakistan. I was 12 at the time; I looked at his life, I looked at mine, it made me angry. Gathered a group of friends from my 7th grade classmates and we started Free the Children."
Eleven years later his network is 1-million young people strong and the group has built 450 schools in developing nations. They operate from the idea that children can help other children either by raising money or going abroad and building the schools.
Kielburger travels throughout North America and speaks to young people, creating awareness and inspiring them to 'adopt a school'. He says educating children is keeping them safe from being picked up and placed in illegal child labor businesses.
Craig Kielburger "Sometimes we literally have to kick down the doors and bring children out of that slavery, but the best to create the alternative so children don't have to end up in that situation in the first place."
Carter Dowd, Rowland Hall-St. Mark's School: "He was telling us what they were doing in other countries and how it's really kind of hard to go to schools and stuff for them, and how we're really blessed to have that and how it's kind of cool for us to be able to help."
Carson Lyness, Rowland Hall-St. Mark's School: "It was really cool listening to him and learning about all the kids around the world and how hard it is for them, and what we can do to help; and now I really want to go overseas and help them."
Craig Keilburger will speak again tonight at the Wagner Jewish Community Center from 7 to 9.
