Fishing platform worker, Indonesia 1995
It is estimated that there are between 1,200 and 1,500 fishing platforms surrounding the islands of Sumatra and Java in Indonesia. The platforms stand on stilts and are located from 1 to several kilometers off-shore.
Boys are taken out to the platforms to fish for krill. Once there, they are held for periods of up to six months. Their diet consists of rice and fish: fresh fruits and vegetables are a rare treat. Fresh drinking water is scarce. Three to six children may sleep on a shelter floor measuring six feet by ten feet.
The children have little shelter from the sun and rain and no protection from falling into the ocean. Their small size makes it easy for them to fall through holes in the platform, and even if they can swim, they are often overwhelmed by waves and wind.
Copyright, 2001, President and Fellows of Harvard College