Murli is a daily-wage earner. In the summer (June to October) he works as a farm-worker and a road-maker. He has worked in the brick-kilns in Andra Pradesh for the past five winters.

"In November we walk 4km to the nearest bus stand and wait for a bus to take us to Kantibanji train station. Then we catch a train to Hyderabad (city) in Andra Pradesh. The brick-kilns are in villages near here.

We're on the train for three days and three nights. We don't get to wash or eat properly during the journey. Thieves and police ride on the trains and beat us. They want our money. The women and girls get pushed around. We sometimes sit down, but we usually stand all the way.

At the brick-kilns our life is very stressful. We're fed chicken rice. It's not like the full life we live in the village, but we have to go to earn money.

We feel sad about leaving our children, but satisfied that they are getting proper food, an education and health care at the RCC. The volunteers and relatives in the village look after them when they are ill. They are our hope.

When we are at the brick-kilns we have no communication with our children. So when we come home it feels good. We're happy but we're still poor. We're always thinking how will we earn a living.