Iqbal Masih

Iqbal Masih was born in 1982, in Pakistan. He only lived to be 12 years old. He is my hero because he escaped from the carpet manufacturing place where he was a slave. Before he did that, he was beaten, and he knew he would probably be beaten twice as much if he were caught, so he had to be brave to try to escape. He is also my hero because he spoke out against children being slaves, and also spoke for freedom, and for creating schools for all the children of Pakistan. The last reason he is my hero is that he kept working, even when he was beaten.

Iqbal was only four years old when his father sold him into slavery. He was forced to work more than half a day. He was beaten a lot, verbally abused, and chained to his loom.

In 1992, Iqbal's life changed a lot. He and other children escaped to go to a freedom day celebration held by the Bonded Labour Liberation Front. Iqbal gave a speech about about his suffering that was printed in local papers. Later, when he visited the Broad Meadows Middle School, in Massachusetts, he looked much younger than twelve years.

I'm a little surprised that he was killed when he was only 12 years old. Before I did this report, I never thought that any child like me would be able to speak out and give give speeches.