Children working in Sierra Leone mines

Child labour problems remain unsolved in post-war Sierra Leone, where thousands of youngsters continue to work in mines. Children as young as seven work at the mines During Sierra Leone's 10 year civil war, children were used as combatants and labourers in the diamond mines of Koidu in the north-eastern district of Kono. With the war over, government's efforts to get them out of the mines and back into schools are proving to be painfully slow. No-one seems to know the exact number of children working at the diamond mines in Koidu, because with every passing day, more youngsters drift into these mines. More...