Dear Nagas,
Recent events involving the abuse of a minor girl serving as a domestic helper have shaken many of us. It should also compel us to pause and reflect on how we, as a society, treat the vulnerable children who live and work in our homes.
Across Nagaland, many underage children are employed as domestic helpers. Most of them are not there by choice. They come from poor families and difficult circumstances, often sent by parents who hope that their children will have access to education, food, and a better future. Yet, for many, the reality is far different.
Some live in conditions of extreme servitude. They work long hours, perform difficult household chores, and are expected to serve the needs of others while sacrificing their own childhood. Some face verbal abuse, physical punishment, neglect, and, tragically, even worse forms of exploitation. Many remain separated from their parents for years, growing up without the affection and security every child deserves.
Let us remember that these children contribute to the comfort, progress, and well-being of our homes. While our own children attend school, study, and enjoy opportunities, these young boys and girls often wake before dawn, work late into the night, and struggle to keep up with their studies.
The very least we can do is treat them with dignity.
Treat them as you would want your own child to be treated. Ensure they receive proper food, adequate rest, access to education, fair compensation, medical care, and opportunities to remain connected with their families. Show them kindness, respect, and affection. They are not servants first; they are children first.
I also appeal to our pastors and church leaders. Please speak to the conscience of our congregations. Teach what Christian love truly means. Remind us that faith is not merely what we profess on Sundays but how we treat the weakest and most vulnerable among us every day.
I appeal to our teachers. Many of these children come to school exhausted, poorly dressed, and struggling academically because of the burdens they carry at home. Please give them extra encouragement, understanding, and support. Your kindness may be the difference between hope and despair.
I appeal to our young people. Treat these children as your brothers and sisters. Stand with them. Speak up when you witness mistreatment or abuse. Challenge injustice, even when it occurs within your own home.
As a society, we share a collective responsibility for these children. Through no fault of their own, poverty has pushed them away from their families and into homes across Nagaland. Their parents entrust them to us with hope and faith. We must not betray that trust.
Let us rethink our role. If a child is living in our home, let us become not merely employers, but second parents. Let us create homes where every child is safe, respected, loved, and given the opportunity to flourish.
The measure of our society is not how we treat the powerful, but how we treat the most vulnerable among us.
May we choose compassion, dignity, and justice.
With humility and concern,
Rev Chingmak Chang
Eleutheros Christian Society
