Child Exploitation on Gayo Coffee Grounds

Behind the scent of coffee brew gayo charming, there was a time bomb ready to explode at any time. Without realizing it, children become land exploitation.

Gayo highland communities, should be proud with its natural product, coffee. Characteristic of Gayo coffee does not need to be in doubt, not only Indonesia, even Gayo coffee world has acknowledged to be one of the world's best coffee.
Unfortunately, despite all that, many things that escape from many eyes. So many child workers involved. In fact, almost out of control. Exploitation of children in coffee farms become commonplace.

So it's not surprising, when we meet a lot of school-age children were not allowed to go to school just to help their parents in the garden.

In fact, as was observed, some children look exhausted hauling sacks have coffee. Was obvious, tired and desperate. At that me had asked one of the boys. Her hair tied carelessly and looked stiff as neglected.

"Since when the garden?”.
"From this morning," he snapped, without looking towards us. We also understand, maybe the little girl was too tired to talk. We did not pass on the question. And moved away from him.
Different conditions could have been worse. And this one had we encountered in some places. Sometimes, parents scolded and yelled at the kids school age who looks lazy.
And little threat emerged. Such as: "If no quote, no pocket money". "If the lazy do not play with my friends", "If it does not help, it should not ask for it", and other minor threats.
Light as a threat of any parent, the thought of the kids, of course, have different meanings. Children become fearful and depressed.

Some parents who had we encountered was confused. Because, in their view, scolding children who do not help is normal and natural. as well as giving excess money for children who are keen to help in the garden.
As revealed Mina (38). Residents admitted highlands accidentally promises a lot of pocket money when helping her in the garden. Mina reason, vast coffee plantation land cannot handle together with her husband on. Therefore, the three children are still in elementary school were included.

When asked if they were forced to leave school when the harvest season. Mina replied, that there is no other choice but to ask their children a few days off.

"Sometimes the children had a holiday for three days," said Minah.

It is unfortunate that, without realizing it, the exploitation of children actually came from within the family itself. In fact, as the Child Protection Act Section has been described, the government and society is obliged to protect children who are economically and the like.

It is appropriate, socialization should be encouraged, in order to understand the limits of parental involvement in helping in the coffee plantation. If not, of course, this condition will cause long-term effects for children who continue to work in the coffee plantations, especially when the child is oriented money and leave school.