Ever since India’s COVID-19 lockdown began, the world has been shaken by the stories of millions of migrant labourers stranded far from their homes and growing desperate without money, food or shelter. In many cases, these workers have been trapped at factories and worksites—as brutal business owners take advantage of the pandemic to extract more and more forced labour.

Earlier this week, IJM assisted local authorities in rescuing 281 people from bonded labour at a massive brick kiln. This included 64 children of all ages who were forced to mold heavy bricks alongside their parents.

This week, IJM helped Indian law enforcement rescue 360 people from bonded labour at a notoriously brutal brick kiln—which then led to the release of nearly 7,000 other migrant workers who had been trapped during the COVID-19 lockdown.