Young Forever

"Digging deep inside the mine, the little girl crawled and crawled towards the hollow. She was expected to work long hours digging for mica, a shiny mineral mainly used in many cosmetic products. She was not given any protective gear or equipment, and the mine was dangerous and dark. She worked hard every day, digging through rocks and dirt with her bare hands. Months passed, and her health began to suffer. She was malnourished and weak, and she began to have trouble breathing from the dust in the mine. Her parents became worried about their daughter and went to the mine to see her.

When they arrived, they found Her lying on the ground, unable to move. She had been injured in a cave-in and was badly hurt."

Ram awoke once more from slumber. It's been three weeks, Ram started experiencing strange nightmares every night. In his dreams, he would see a little girl's death.

At first, Ram thought it was just a bad dream, but the nightmares continued every night, and the little girl's face haunted him all day. Ram couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more to these nightmares.

One day, Ram decided to investigate that little girl. He wanted to make sure whether such a girl existed or not. He was confused because he didn't know where to go, whom to ask, and how to get over this nightmare.

The nightmares continued every night, but Ram refused to give up.

Ram had never been to a mine before, but the dream felt so real that he couldn't shake off the feeling that he had witnessed a tragedy that had really happened. He tried to dismiss it as just a bad dream, but the nightmares kept coming back, night after night.

As time passed, the nightmares began to affect Ram's life. He became anxious and irritable during the day, and his work performance suffered. He couldn't focus on anything else but the dream, and he felt like he was losing his grip on reality.

And finally, he sought the help of a psychologist who could help him to get out of these stressful sleepless nights. That effort to consult the psychologist never went in vain.

The psychologist asked Ram, only one question. "When did you start having these nightmares? I mean, for the first time" Ram said " Soon after I agreed with the endorsement of cosmetic products," the Psychologist asked Ram to recheck the business contract and it will show a solution to his problem.

Confused Ram, with a disheartened mind, discussed the whole thing with his driver while he was returning home. The driver just sighed and Said " Baba woh mica wala log hain naa, woh bahut buraa admi Hain" Ram again got confused.

Soon after he reached home, he checked the business contract deal. 

"Ram Raj Mica Mines".

He simply Googled what's this Mica?  Through deep research on the web, he found out that Mica is a mineral that is commonly used in cosmetics, electronics, and other industries. In countries like India, where most of the world's mica is sourced, the mining of this mineral is often done in unregulated and dangerous conditions. Many of the workers who extract mica from mines are children, who are forced to work long hours in hazardous conditions for little pay.

One particularly heartbreaking aspect of this industry is the death toll of young girls who work in mica mines. Many of these girls, who are often from impoverished families, are sent to work in the mines to help support their families. They are frequently exposed to toxic chemicals and dust, which can cause respiratory problems and other health issues. In addition, they may be at risk of accidents, such as cave-ins or landslides, which can be deadly.

Despite the dangers, many families feel they have no choice but to send their daughters to work in the mines, as they may not have any other means of supporting themselves. This has led to a tragic cycle of exploitation and poverty that is difficult to break.

Ram was so devastated to realise these facts.

He understood the mystery behind his nightmares. The next day he called a board meeting with his partners and enquired about any other possibilities to replace natural mica.

And found out that some companies have committed to using only ethically-sourced mica in their products. Ram asked the board members to provide alternative forms of income to families in mica mining communities. And asked and requested everyone to do work to be done to ensure that the mining of this mineral does not come at the cost of young lives.

On way back home, he was thinking about those young girls who had lost their lives digging for a mineral that makes others Young Forever...

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