12 & Sewing to Survive

Boys in Turkey, between the ages of 7-15 working in factory.'s, getting paid less than £1 an hour working 7 days a week for 12 hours, instead of going to school. Mothers want there kids to go to school but if they don't send them to work then they won't have money. Only a tiny percentage of the estimated 3 million Syrians who have sought refuge in Turkey have the necessary work permits. To survive, they have to work illegally, without any rights, and for low wages. A made-to-measure workforce for the garment industry, and a reminder that one person's plight is often another's opportunity. Imagine going to a sewing factory, with no air in Syria where the temp goes up and all of the workers are kids that should all be in Elementary or Middle school, instead they are working by folding, sewing, clothes, all day long for the lowest pay.
When the brands are contacted about these boys working in there factories they say,  they regularly inspect the factories making their clothes to guarantee standards. But when the auditors arrive the boys are, hidden out of sight. And when the auditors leave, they go back to work. As simple as that. Some of the brands acknowledge the inherent failings in the auditing process and are now trying to tie up with trade unions and combat abuses.