Craig Keilburger
By Shannon Brown
Who is Craig Keilburger
Craig Keilburger was born on December 17, 1987 in Tornhill, Canada. He is a children's rights activist who, along with his brother, Marc, founded an organization called "Free The Children" when he was twelve years old. He shocked the world when he spoke out against Child Labor in other countries. It all began when Craig was 12 years old and was looking for comics in his local newspaper. He came across an article about a boy that was previously sold by his parents and was killed for speaking out against slavery. Craig brought the article to school and asked his friends for help to act against the issue of child labor. This group of children would meet up once a week and talk about the issues of child labor and talk about things that they could do to act against it. Months of taking about Child labor and wanting to make a difference, Craig believed the only way he would truly understand the problem would be to witness it himself. He asked his parents if he could go to South Asia, but he did not want his parents to go with him. After months of begging his parents, finding a mentor/adult to watch him while he was there, and raising money for the trip, his parents finally agreed to letting him go on the trip.
The Story of Craig Keilburger
Free The Children
This Organization was founded by Craig and his brother Marc in 1995. Their main goal was to help children and families get out of poverty and helps children that were working get out of the "enslavement". Once they realized that the families, after their children were no longer woking, were still having hard times. This inspired them to create "Adopt a Village".
How did Craig Work for Justice?
- God wants his people to treat everyone equally. By doing the work that he does against child Labor and helping people in other countries, he is demonstrating God's plan for human beings
- Craig put other people before himself and dedicated his life to helping other people. He works to get them the human rights that they deserve and should have.
- While in South Asia, he oversaw a raid to sneak the children that were working as slaves form where they were staying. He risked his life to make the lives of the children better in the future.
- Craig spread the word about the issues of child slavery and this allowed people to understand what was going on. Many people joined Craig and worked to fight against child labor. Craig was spreading the work like God would want him to.
- Craig dedicated his life to helping other people that he didn't know that lived all the way around the world.
Craig in South Asia
This is a picture of 12 year old Craig while in South Asia for the first time.
Craig with Students
Craig with students in a school that his organization helped to create
Talking to the Press
Young Craig talking to the press about the ongoing issue of child slavery
“Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Philippians 2:4
It Takes a Child
Social Justice Document that Relates
Man is called to a fullness of life which far exceeds the dimensions of his earthly existence, because it consists in sharing the very life of God. The loftiness of this supernatural vocation reveals the greatness and the inestimable value of human life even in its temporal phase. Life in time, in fact, is the fundamental condition, the initial stage and an integral part of the entire unified process of human existence. It is a process which, unexpectedly and undeservedly, is enlightened by the promise and renewed by the gift of divine life, which will reach its full realization in eternity (Evangelium Vitae)
Craig Keilburger
Website: http://www.freethechildren.com/
Facebook: facebook.com/craigkielburger/
Twitter: @craigkielburger