Insider Story: The children I met at a gold mine — and what I can’t forget

Above: Watch my footage from a gold mining site where children work. What I saw there, I’ll never forget.

I’ve seen this before.

As a child, I spent school holidays in my mother’s village near a small gold deposit. One year, several children were suddenly gone — they had left in search of gold.

Some came back.

But the state I saw them in was deeply disturbing — they had changed, visibly and emotionally.

For a long time, I heard about child labour on mining sites. I even wrote about it in my work with Children Believe — but based on reports, from a distance, with no direct contact.

Then one field visit changed everything.

That’s when I met the children.

What I saw — and what I heard — hurt in ways I can’t forget.

Above: A rare glimpse inside a gold mining site — where even the youngest children live, play and work near danger.

The site I visited is just one of many across Burkina Faso — where more than 20,000 children are believed to be working in unsafe mining sites like this one.

Here, digging for gold is done without protection, heavy loads are hauled by hand, and toxic chemicals are used with no safety gear.

I saw kids as young as six picking up scattered rocks with their bare hands, acting as assistants during the crushing and washing of ore, fetching water, and pushing carts pulled by donkeys under a scorching sun — all in dangerous, unsanitary conditions.

And then there was the baby.

Carried on his mother’s back while she crushed rocks, surrounded by clouds of dust. His tiny face was barely visible — filthy, breathing toxic air. His eyes looked sad… almost pleading.

It felt like he was saying: Please, take me away from here.

That moment shattered me.

Above: At the site, babies are carried by working mothers — surrounded by dust, noise, and toxic air.

One story I was told haunts me: two children got into a fight and fell into a pool of toxic acid used to clean gold.

Neither survived. They were buried together, just like that.

And while this was happening, other children nearby kept working, kept playing — still without protection, pushing each other close to the same deadly danger.

Sometimes I feel like my mind can’t carry all of it.

Forced, not free

The reasons that push children to go to mining sites are many.

Extreme poverty. Poor academic performance. The influence of older youth already working on the sites. Some are forced or deceived. There are accomplices involved in recruiting children, making their interception and identification very difficult.

But the main driving force is economic. In most cases, the child leaves in secret. By the time the parents find out, it’s too late. They lack the means or support to bring them back.

Others are born into this life, or brought by desperate parents working on the site.

Yes, some manage to earn a bit of money — but at what cost? Many are exploited. Others fall ill. Most earn only scraps. Some earn nothing at all. Survival becomes a daily struggle, and returning home feels impossible. Some, victims of abuse, accidents or withheld earnings, lose everything — even their lives.

Above: Covered in dust and working alone, a child labours at a gold mining site.

“I wish I could go to school and see a world beyond this one.”

That’s what one girl born on the site told me. Her words have never left me.

And I think of her — and all the children still in the mines — when I watch my own children play, learn, live without fear, tell me their dreams, and describe their little world as if it were perfect.

One father said something I’ll never forget:

“If you want to protect my children, do it here. They have no other home but this place. I’m the only survivor of my family. Our houses were destroyed because of insecurity in our country. So when you say this is no place for children, tell me, where else should they go? I’d rather see them here than watch them starve or be killed. One of mine was killed before my eyes.”

That froze me. It speaks volumes about the despair some families face.

Why we fight — and why it’s so hard

At Children Believe, my colleagues on the ground put all their heart, convictions, and often their emotions into this fight.

To do this, we work with local partners to support child protection networks, strengthen birth registration services, and carry out awareness-raising activities through training sessions, community dialogues, and radio programs.

We help children return to school. We support vocational training.

Sometimes we succeed.

But not always.

All our work is rooted in partnership.

We recognize the efforts the Government of Burkina Faso is making to tackle child labour, especially in artisanal gold mining. At Children Believe, we work alongside public services and partner NGOs — supporting and strengthening the actions already underway.

Still, we know this is a complicated fight, deeply rooted in social, economic and security-related realities. And it’s only together — with communities, authorities, and all those committed to protecting children that we can continue to move forward, step by step.

Even so, some children go — or return — to the mining sites.

One boy wanted to leave a site and return to school. Efforts had begun to support him and his family. But before the process could be completed, he was crushed by a machine.

That kind of tragedy is a heartbreaking reminder that we can’t always act fast enough.

Above: Many children know nothing of the outside world or school — growing up in a chaotic space where danger, labour and survival are mixed together.

Our work is complex, and changing behaviour isn’t easy. In certain areas, we’ve spent years organizing awareness sessions, but information isn’t enough. Not when families are hungry, afraid, and struggling to survive.

It requires a lot of empathy. Patience. And real alternatives.

Because this fight isn’t just about removing a child from a mine — it’s about changing an entire environment.

And if we can’t do that, parents listen politely… then return to their reality.
 

What gives me hope

If I could take you there, I’d show you the mining site first — so you could see the harsh reality these children live through.

Then I’d introduce you to families and children you’ve helped through Children Believe. You’d see the smiles, the resilience, and the lives that are being rebuilt.

What gives me hope are the small visible changes: a child returning to school, a family understanding the importance of protecting their children, a community organizing to take action together.

These small victories are proof that change is possible.

From me to you

Because of donors like you, hundreds of children have left the mines and returned to school. And many more never had to go in the first place.

Your support makes a real difference, even though the path is long.

Being a donor is one of the noblest roles. The world would be a much harsher place without beautiful souls like you.

Thank you.

Your support in action: Fighting child labour in Burkina Faso
Children Believe and our local partners are working in mining-affected areas to stop child labour before it starts — and to help children already caught in it find a new path forward. Here’s how your support is already making a difference:

• Children who return from mine sites get help to restart school — including tutoring, scholarships, and support to cover school fees.
• Vocational training gives youth safer alternatives — with opportunities to learn trades like mechanics, carpentry, and chicken-raising that help them earn income and avoid the mines.
• Village savings and loan groups help mothers protect their children — by giving them the financial independence to meet basic needs and say no to child labour.
• Radio programs, theatre forums, and home visits raise awareness — reaching parents and children with powerful messages about the risks of gold mining and the importance of education.

Want to help more children stay safe in school?
Give a Gift for Good today.

About Children Believe

Children Believe works globally to empower children to dream fearlessly, stand up for what they believe in — and be heard. For 60+ years, we’ve brought together brave young dreamers, caring supporters and partners, and unabashed idealists. Together, we’re driven by a common belief: creating access to education — inside and outside of classrooms — is the most powerful tool children can use to change their world.

About Childfund Alliance

A member of ChildFund Alliance, Children Believe is part of a global network of child-focused development organizations working to create opportunities for children and youth, their families and communities. ChildFund helps nearly 23-million children and their families in 70 countries overcome poverty and underlying conditions that prevent children from achieving their full potential. We work to end violence against children; provide expertise in emergencies and disasters to ease the harmful impact on children and their communities; and engage children and youth to create lasting change and elevate their voices in decisions that affect their lives.