where a desperate family is forced to hand over a child as guaranty for a debt. "If they cry for their parents, they are beaten and torture They are often kept half fed and are not permitted to talk or laugh out loud." Since 1990, Satyarthi has helped to free more than 40,000 people, including 28,000 children, from overcrowded, filthy, and isolated factories, particularly in the massive carpet industry. "I have 2 faced threats, and two of my colleagues have been killed says Satyarthi, who heads the South Asian Coalition on Child Servitude. "But I think of it all as a test. If you decide to stand up against such social 3 evils, you have to be fully prepared physically, mentally, and spiritually.