People

Imagine having to work up to 16 hours a day, every day. Sometimes tied to your work bench, not being able to move more than a few inches. At night you're under surveillance, maybe with armed guards outside the door, making sure you don't escape.

Participants at the yoga charity event

You're also constantly subjected to physical, mental and sometimes sexual violence.

What we're describing is Bonded Labour - also known as Debt Bondage.

This type of slavery occurs when a person's physical labour is required to repay a loan or debt.

It's been around for centuries and is used across the world to control people. The victims are duped, exploited and finally trapped into working for very little money.

Though illegal in most countries there are still men, women and child labourers across the globe. The MUKTI Project, is a Reading based charity which has been raising awareness of this problem particularly within India.

They help support two orphanages, Karm Marg in Delhi which looks after street children. Many of them have run away from this type of slavery and Naz an orphanage in India dedicated to the care of children living with HIV/AIDS.

The founder of The MUKTI Project is Swami Ambikananda and their patron is Trudie Styler, wife of pop-star Sting. Below are some pictures from their recent fundraiser:

Swami (a trained Yoga teacher) joined other yoga experts and students in getting sponsored for each round  of Sun Salutations (a yoga exercise) they could complete. Before the event took place, both appeared on BBC Radio Berkshire to talk further about this cause.

Musicians performing at the annual yoga event

Tim Smith asked Trudie how she first came across The MUKTI Project:

"I got involved because I was inspired by a young man in the mid nineties called Iqbal Massey who I met when I was giving a key note at a conference. He was a former bonded child labourer and he was literally chained to his carpet loom.

"He set himself free through sheer determination and will and made his way to America sponsored by a big shoe company. I met him there and he asked me if I would continue with the torch and talking about bonded labourers and do what we can to get them out of indentured servitude and into schools."

"Tragically Iqbal was murdered about a year after I met him. I made a documentary about bonded labourers and then I met Swami. She had created this orphanage for children that had been in bondage labour. So it began like that and every year I help sponsor this event and I’m proud to be its patron".

Click below to hear the rest of this interview:

For more information about this organisation visit the website below: