Editor’s Note
This story highlights how stable employment can transform lives, enabling parents like Alpesh Bhai to fulfill aspirations—such as quality education for their children—that once seemed out of reach.
Alpesh Bhai, a diamond worker, always dreamed of providing a quality education for his children.
After finding a job in the diamond polishing industry in Surat, he was able to enroll his three-year-old daughter in a private school, fulfilling a dream that seemed unattainable in his youth. Growing up in a rural area with poor education and limited job opportunities, his monthly salary of 35,000 rupees (approximately $390) changed everything.
However, the diamond industry was severely impacted following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Sanctions imposed on Russia, a major supplier of rough diamonds, led to a sharp decline in production and a surge in layoffs. Alpesh’s income plummeted to 18,000 rupees (about $200) per month, making his children’s annual education cost of 25,000 rupees ($280) unsustainable.
The economic situation forced Alpesh to transfer his child from a private to a public school. With mounting economic pressure, exacerbated by US tariffs worsening the economic crisis, many families face the same predicament. Approximately 400,000 workers in the diamond industry have faced layoffs or pay cuts, leading to imminent financial distress.
Some migrant workers, like Sham Patel, have had to return to their hometowns, where life is tough but at least saves on rent. Sham’s son dropped out of school after only four months of classes. The lack of job opportunities in the city has forced many families to reconsider their options.
Data shows that dropout rates are increasing. Public schools are currently struggling to enroll new students, and the number of out-of-school children is rising. Already strained educational institutions must also cope with a steady stream of requests from desperate families.
Organizations such as the Diamond Workers Union are working to raise government awareness of the hardships workers face. Although the Gujarat government has launched an aid scheme, these measures remain insufficient, and many families cannot meet the assistance requirements.
The current situation leaves many questions unanswered. Alpesh and other workers hope life can return to normal, but market instability makes future planning difficult. Families like Alpesh’s now face the reality that their children’s education is threatened by economic factors beyond their control.
