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U.S. Embassy Creates Awareness Against Child Labor with an Exhibit and a Fashion Show

Ambassador R. Niels Marquardt proudly  adds the finishing touch by descending  the catwalk. Full size.

The U.S. Embassy in Yaounde partnered with the International Labor Organization and Cameroonian non-governmental organizations to combat child labor. The trade fair and fashion show extravaganza took place at the Embassy premises on June 13, 2006. Twenty-nine NGOs participated in the celebration and worked hard to generate informative exhibits on the issue of child labor in Cameroon. The models, previous victims of child labor, wore their own hand-tailored garments as proof of the benefits of vocational training.

As noted by the Political/Economics Officer and organizer of the event, Melanie Zimmerman, “the idea behind the fashion show and arts-and-crafts fair was to allow these children, rescued from child labor or child trafficking, to show us what they are capable of doing and to prove to us that their talents are better served in school or in vocational training rather than in cocoa fields, rubber plantations or domestic servitude.” Mrs. Judi Marquardt, “god-mother” of the event, in thanking the distinguished guests for their support, stated: “By being here today you have shown them that you care, you understand where they come from, but perhaps more importantly, how far they can go if they are given a chance.”  The message, read by Ambassador Marquardt from Assistant Secretary for African Affairs Jendayi E. Frazer, mentioned that “the United States is determined to end this modern form of slavery.  We have a particular duty to fight this scourge because trafficking in persons and child labor is an affront to the principles of human dignity and liberty, upon which this nation was founded … A solution to a problem begins with awareness.”