CHILD HERO:

IQBAL MASIH
by Attie from Anmore, Canada

My hero is Iqbal Masih. He was born in Pakistan in 1982 and he died when he was 12 years old. Iqbal Masih is a hero because he helped to free slaves in Pakistan. I think he is a true hero he is not like the cop type of hero! he is a person who really helped the world and who was not paid to do it. He has inspired "e that #ust one kid can "ake a hu$e difference in a country. Pakistan is the country Iqbal is fro" and it would not be the sa"e without hi"! especially for the kids. I hope you en#oy readin$ "ore about hi". Iqbal was born in 1982 in a very poor fa"ily. %hen he was four years old his parents sent hi" to work in a carpet factory. &hey sent hi" there to pay off a debt to a "oneylender. 't the factory Iqbal and the other children were treated like slaves. Iqbal worked till a$e 1( when he finally escaped. He wanted to help the other children who were slaves. Iqbal #oined the )onded *abour *iberation +ront of Pakistan. Iqbal wanted to free all of the children and slaves who were like hi" and workin$ in factories in Pakistan to pay off debts owed by their fa"ilies. &he slaves worked hard. &hey had to work fro" dawn until dusk doin$ #obs that da"a$ed their bodies. %hen they $ot hurt they could not $et help. &hey had to keep workin$. &hey were not $iven enou$h food and they could not $et an education because they had to work all the ti"e. Iqbal Masih was an$ry that children had to work as slaves in Pakistan. He wanted to help to end slavery in his country. He #oined the )onded *abour *iberation +ront of Pakistan which was already fi$htin$ a$ainst slavery. He helped to educate people about what was $oin$ on in factories. He "ade speeches in public to tell people about the slavery even thou$h it was dan$erous for hi". ,o"e reports say that he snuck into factories to take pictures of the workin$ conditions. )ecause he was tryin$ to free the slaves Iqbal Masih was a tar$et for the Pakistan "obsters! "oneylenders and factory owners who used slaves to "ake a lot of "oney. Iqbal was "urdered when he was 12 years old. )ecause he was a hero Iqbal Masih brou$ht a lot of attention to the slavery that was happenin$ in Pakistan. He traveled to '"erica and did "any speeches about it. He spoke to students and other $roups. He told one $roup that 'braha" *incoln was his role "odel. In one of his speeches he said! -I want to do for "y country what 'braha" *incoln did for his country-. Iqbal Masih had a drea" to beco"e a lawyer and free slaves in Pakistan. He never $ot to see his drea" co"e true but he still inspires children like "e. I hope his story will inspire you too.

Iqbal worked till a$e 1( when he finally escaped . Iqbal works till a$e 1( when he finally escapes. )ecause he was a hero Iqbal Masih brou$ht a lot of attention to the slavery that was happenin$ in Pakistan . )ecause he is a hero Iqbal Masih brin$s a lot of attention to the slavery that is happenin$ in Pakistan.