Children's Stories: Rabbani

After the death of his mother, 10-year-old Rabbani and his two siblings moved in with their grandmother in her two-room hut. One day, Rabbani’s neighbor offered him a job. Imagining a wealthy future beyond his village in Bihar, India’s poorest state, Rabbani agreed. His neighbor took him 370 miles west to a loom shed in Bhadohi, Uttar Pradesh, where he wove shag carpets for eight hours a day, earning seven cents an hour.
After two long months working on the looms, Rabbani was rescued by GoodWeave field officers. GoodWeave’s staff accompanied Rabbani on the long journey home on October 12, 2011. When the car arrived, the entire village was waiting by the road to welcome him back.


The field officers met with Danish, one of the most respected village residents. As villagers crowded around to listen, GoodWeave officers told Danish about GoodWeave and its mission. They explained how GoodWeave would sponsor Rabbani’s education. The crowd of villagers listened in amazement. They had never heard of anyone helping child laborers before.
Mohammed, principal of the local government school, immediately enrolled Rabbani in the first grade. GoodWeave’s officers gave his grandmother enough money to pay for Rabbani’s school books, supplies and uniform. Before leaving, they signed an agreement with his grandmother, promising to provide ongoing support for his education. Danish and Mohammed signed the agreement as witnesses.
Rabbani and his grandmother are thankful that he has a renewed chance to get an education and build a future, with support from GoodWeave and his own community.

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Children's Stories: Gopal

Gopal grew up in a poor and violent home in Nepal’s central Makawanpur district, not far from Kathmandu. In a story we hear all too frequently, his father would spend all of his wages from farming on alcohol, return home drunk, and beat Gopal’s mother and often Gopal as well.


Gopal fled to Kathmandu at age 13 and joined his older brothers in a carpet factory. He wove carpets for three months before GoodWeave loom inspectors found him on June 2, 2011. Gopal moved into GoodWeave’s rehabilitation center. Though his upbringing and the harsh environment of the factory had left him antagonistic, today Gopal is fitting in well and happy that he has a chance to study.

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Children's Stories: Sun Maya

Sun Maya grew up in a small trading town in Nepal’s Sindhupalchowk district. She often dreamed of visiting the capital city of Kathmandu, and in fourth grade, she got her chance. Her uncle offered to take her away to the city, lowering her family’s expenses. Sun Maya’s parents, poor farm hands, let her go.
When Sun Maya arrived in Kathmandu, her uncle bought her a wardrobe of new clothes. Though everything seemed perfect, the joy didn’t last; her uncle forced her to work in a carpet factory, weaving carpets in 15-hour shifts with punishment for slowing down. GoodWeave loom inspectors discovered Sun Maya on April 15, 2012.


Thirteen year-old Sun Maya resumed her studies at GoodWeave’s rehabilitation center, where her kind spirit has helped her make many friends. She enjoys visiting home during the holidays and hopes to become a teacher.

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Children's Stories: Yasmin

India Moves Toward Ban of All Child Labor

Until now, India has allowed children under the age of 14 to work in what the government identifies as non-hazardous work. As GoodWeave supporters know, this policy still leaves many children at risk and unable to attend school. In late August 2012, the government was on its way to passing a full ban on all child labor for children under 14 years old, and to ban hazardous labor for anyone under the age of 18. GoodWeave Executive Director Nina Smith applauded the impending decision. “This will strengthen GoodWeave’s capacity to do its work,” she said. “Compliance will be more likely and there will be more government resources for remediation and education.”

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Children's Stories: Ramesh

Ramesh had to grow up quickly and at a young age. His father was an alcoholic with a history of unemployment; his eldest brother and sister moved to India from Nepal to try and earn money to help support the family.
Ramesh wanted to move away, too. As a young child, he had envisioned wonderful adventures in Kathmandu. Hoping to find a better life, he and his two friends ran away to the city when they were in the third grade. When they got to Kathmandu, however, they realized that it was not what they had hoped. They were very hungry, and felt helpless and afraid in the large city. Looking for a way to survive, Ramesh went with a labor broker who took the boy to a carpet factory to work.
Ramesh had worked long, back-breaking days in the factory for a month when he was discovered by GoodWeave inspectors on June 7, 2011. He was 12-years-old at the time. Today, 13-year-old Ramesh has renewed his studies at the LAB school, one of Nepal's premier private boarding schools. Ramesh now wants to become a doctor, and is very thankful to GoodWeave for supporting his education—and for returning his childhood to him.
Rescues like those of Ramesh are only possible because of GoodWeave's rescue, rehabilitation and education programs. Through GoodWeave's factory monitoring and inspection process, part of the best-in-class rug certification standard to which the organization adheres, GoodWeave is able to find and rescue children within mere weeks or months of the child starting to work there.

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Children's Stories: Manju

Twelve year-old Manju grew up in Sajban, in one of Nepal's least developed districts. Although she was a very bright student, Manju's father took her out of school when she was in the sixth grade and sent her to work in a carpet factory. Manju was denied the right to go to school in order to help pay for her brother's private school education.
Manju was very angry with her father for sending her to work while her brother attended an expensive school. In the carpet factory, Manju felt very sad, ignored and neglected.
"My parents never want me to go to school. My brother is going to school but I have to work for my parents. I don't know why they are discriminating me," Manju told GoodWeave staff after being rescued on June 15, 2011.
With the support of GoodWeave, she is now enrolled in the LAB school, one of Nepal's premier private boarding schools. Manju says that she feels her fate has changed. She is thankful to have the opportunity to study at such a good school because it puts her closer to her dream to become a doctor one day. "I am very happy now and one day I will show my parents that I can do better than my brother. I would like to give many thanks to GoodWeave for supporting me," Manju told GoodWeave.

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Children's Stories: Tanka

Tanka has had a rough life from the start. His mother died when he was just three-years-old, forcing him to live with his alcoholic and abusive father and step-mother. Unable to tolerate life in the violent household as he grew older, Tanka chose to go with a man to Kathmandu. He was sad that he had to leave school, but he never wanted to return to the life of constant abuse.
In Kathmandu, Tanka wove carpets for three months. On June 2, 2011, GoodWeave inspectors found 12-year-old Tanka and took him to the GoodWeave rehabilitation center.
At the center, Tanka's intolerable early life was apparent from his disruptive behavior. He got into many fights and bullied other children. He told the staff members that he felt like fighting when others teased him and when he felt hopeless. But as time went on, GoodWeave social workers saw improvement in Tanka's behavior from their patience and persistence in working with him. Tanka received the love and care from GoodWeave that all children deserve, but that he had never received at home.
Now, 13-year-old Tanka is excited to focus on his studies. He is unable to go home because of the likelihood of abuse, but is fortunate that GoodWeave can support him through its residential care program. "I am happy here and would like to continue my education," Tanka says. "If there was no GoodWeave then I have had to weave the carpet, which will ruin my life."
  

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