Children's Stories
Read about children who are now enjoying their childhoods. Instead of spending long days for little or no pay working on weaving looms, they are attending school preparing for their futures.
- Sunita
- Sunita was born to a poor family in central Nepal, a family whose soggy patch of land couldn't grow enough to feed them. When she was only two years old her father passed away from tuberculosis, her mother eloped a few years after, leaving the children to fend for themselves. Sunita moved in with an older sister and began babysitting, cooking and cleaning. The sister worked in a carpet factory, but her low wages couldn't support the household. Sunita had nowhere else to go – her brother was missing, working somewhere in the outskirts of Kathmandu, and her second sister could not help. Seven-year-old Sunita's only option was the carpet factory.
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- Sunita was born to a poor family in central Nepal, a family whose soggy patch of land couldn't grow enough to feed them. When she was only two years old her father passed away from tuberculosis, her mother eloped a few years after, leaving the children to fend for themselves. Sunita moved in with an older sister and began babysitting, cooking and cleaning. The sister worked in a carpet factory, but her low wages couldn't support the household. Sunita had nowhere else to go – her brother was missing, working somewhere in the outskirts of Kathmandu, and her second sister could not help. Seven-year-old Sunita's only option was the carpet factory.
- Raj Kumari
- When Raj Kumari was brought to Hamro Ghar, GoodWeave's rehabilitation center, at age 11, no one could have predicted that ten years later, her hard work would bring her back to GoodWeave as a teacher for rescued child laborers just like herself.
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- When Raj Kumari was brought to Hamro Ghar, GoodWeave's rehabilitation center, at age 11, no one could have predicted that ten years later, her hard work would bring her back to GoodWeave as a teacher for rescued child laborers just like herself.
- Parang
- Parang suffered years of pain and illness as an abused boy and child laborer in Nepal. Today, he aspires to become a doctor. With the support of GoodWeave, he will soon help others to overcome the pain he knows too well.
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- Parang suffered years of pain and illness as an abused boy and child laborer in Nepal. Today, he aspires to become a doctor. With the support of GoodWeave, he will soon help others to overcome the pain he knows too well.
- Chhamu
- Nine-year-old Chhamu lived peacefully in western Nepal until the country's violent civil war upended her family and her village. First, Chhamu's father left home. Next, her brother was pulled into the fighting when the militia threatened to kill him if he didn't enlist. Chhamu was recruited as well, but fled to safety in Kathmandu with her aunt.
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- Nine-year-old Chhamu lived peacefully in western Nepal until the country's violent civil war upended her family and her village. First, Chhamu's father left home. Next, her brother was pulled into the fighting when the militia threatened to kill him if he didn't enlist. Chhamu was recruited as well, but fled to safety in Kathmandu with her aunt.
- Nirmala
- To help support their family, Nirmala and her brother were brought to Kathmandu from their home in central Nepal. Upon arrival in the city, their mother forced the siblings to become domestic servants for a butcher and his household. Ten-year-old Nirmala and her brother suffered frequent beatings and verbal abuse from the butcher's wife. In exchange, Nirmala's mother received around five dollars each month for her children's labor.
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- To help support their family, Nirmala and her brother were brought to Kathmandu from their home in central Nepal. Upon arrival in the city, their mother forced the siblings to become domestic servants for a butcher and his household. Ten-year-old Nirmala and her brother suffered frequent beatings and verbal abuse from the butcher's wife. In exchange, Nirmala's mother received around five dollars each month for her children's labor.
- Susmita
- At first, poverty was the only challenge facing 12-year-old Susmita and her family. Her parents broke rocks by hand in central Nepal, earning just enough to rent a small house. When Susmita's father descended into alcoholism and refused to work, her mother struggled to make ends meet. The hardship grew worse when Susmita's grandparents both developed lung disease and required expensive treatments. Susmita's mother began taking loans not only for the medical bills, but for basic necessities such as food and rent.
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- At first, poverty was the only challenge facing 12-year-old Susmita and her family. Her parents broke rocks by hand in central Nepal, earning just enough to rent a small house. When Susmita's father descended into alcoholism and refused to work, her mother struggled to make ends meet. The hardship grew worse when Susmita's grandparents both developed lung disease and required expensive treatments. Susmita's mother began taking loans not only for the medical bills, but for basic necessities such as food and rent.
- Bhuwan
- Nepal's violent civil war tore apart 12-year-old Bhuwan Moktan's family. His older brother and sister died in the conflict. Broken by the loss, Bhuwan's father sank into depression and alcoholism, then further into mental illness. His mother grieved constantly and soon fell ill. Surrounded by tragedy, Bhuwan feared he would become the next victim. In desperation, he and a friend ran from their village in Nepal's lush plains and fled east to Kathmandu.
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- Nepal's violent civil war tore apart 12-year-old Bhuwan Moktan's family. His older brother and sister died in the conflict. Broken by the loss, Bhuwan's father sank into depression and alcoholism, then further into mental illness. His mother grieved constantly and soon fell ill. Surrounded by tragedy, Bhuwan feared he would become the next victim. In desperation, he and a friend ran from their village in Nepal's lush plains and fled east to Kathmandu.
- Yangjom
- Growing up in western Nepal's Mugu district, Yangjom dreamed of one day visiting Kathmandu. Her wish was granted, but under painful circumstances. When Yanjom was age 11, her parents gathered the family and crossed the country to Kathmandu in search of work.
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- Growing up in western Nepal's Mugu district, Yangjom dreamed of one day visiting Kathmandu. Her wish was granted, but under painful circumstances. When Yanjom was age 11, her parents gathered the family and crossed the country to Kathmandu in search of work.
- Purnima
- Eleven-year-old Purnima was born in a Kathmandu factory where her parents worked as carpet weavers. She and her two younger brothers knew nothing about the outside world, but only the pain that came from her alcoholic fathers’ drunken rages and the hunger endured from barely eating two meals a day – all her mother’s insufficient salary could afford. In Purnima’s world, carpet weaving was a daily routine until June 29, 2010 when a GoodWeave Nepal inspector discovered her.
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- Eleven-year-old Purnima was born in a Kathmandu factory where her parents worked as carpet weavers. She and her two younger brothers knew nothing about the outside world, but only the pain that came from her alcoholic fathers’ drunken rages and the hunger endured from barely eating two meals a day – all her mother’s insufficient salary could afford. In Purnima’s world, carpet weaving was a daily routine until June 29, 2010 when a GoodWeave Nepal inspector discovered her.
- Jaidul
- 13-year-old Jaidul and his family live in a small village in the Malda district of West Bengal. He and his mother, two sisters, brother and paralyzed father weave towels at home, but even with their combined effort, they can barely support themselves. Their wages cover just two meals a day for six people. Jaidul began to weave carpets at a factory in order to supplement the family’s meager income.
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- 13-year-old Jaidul and his family live in a small village in the Malda district of West Bengal. He and his mother, two sisters, brother and paralyzed father weave towels at home, but even with their combined effort, they can barely support themselves. Their wages cover just two meals a day for six people. Jaidul began to weave carpets at a factory in order to supplement the family’s meager income.
- Anu
- Born and raised in Nepal’s Sindhupalchowk district, Anu is the youngest of a family of four children. Anu’s parents had a difficult time raising her and her siblings with the little money they earned working in a carpet factory. Though they were illiterate, Anu’s parents understood the importance of education and let their children attend school. Anu’s three older brothers were the first to attend, but after money ran out, they had to drop out and work in the carpet factory.
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- Born and raised in Nepal’s Sindhupalchowk district, Anu is the youngest of a family of four children. Anu’s parents had a difficult time raising her and her siblings with the little money they earned working in a carpet factory. Though they were illiterate, Anu’s parents understood the importance of education and let their children attend school. Anu’s three older brothers were the first to attend, but after money ran out, they had to drop out and work in the carpet factory.
- Rabi
- Abusive parents and forced labor denied young Rabi a joyful childhood full of the warmth and protection that family life can provide. That all changed for the better when GoodWeave inspectors discovered Rabi working as a bonded carpet laborer at age 10. Now 16, Rabi is a ninth grader at Laboratory Higher Secondary School in Kirtipur under the care of GoodWeave.
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- Abusive parents and forced labor denied young Rabi a joyful childhood full of the warmth and protection that family life can provide. That all changed for the better when GoodWeave inspectors discovered Rabi working as a bonded carpet laborer at age 10. Now 16, Rabi is a ninth grader at Laboratory Higher Secondary School in Kirtipur under the care of GoodWeave.
- Anil
- Anil comes from a large family with loving parents in a remote corner of the Makawanpur district in Nepal. Unable to support his seven children, Anil’s father removed his son from second grade and hired a carpet broker to take him to Kathmandu to find work at a carpet factory.
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- Anil comes from a large family with loving parents in a remote corner of the Makawanpur district in Nepal. Unable to support his seven children, Anil’s father removed his son from second grade and hired a carpet broker to take him to Kathmandu to find work at a carpet factory.
- Asha
- Instead of being in school, thirteen-year-old Asha spent her childhood enduring abuse from her stepfather and working long, dark hours at a loom. It wasn’t until a GoodWeave inspector rescued her that she began to experience a real childhood.
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- Instead of being in school, thirteen-year-old Asha spent her childhood enduring abuse from her stepfather and working long, dark hours at a loom. It wasn’t until a GoodWeave inspector rescued her that she began to experience a real childhood.
- Prakash
- Prakash’s life had a modest but happy beginning. Prakash lived with his parents and three siblings in a remote village in Nepal’s Chitwan district. Prakash’s father was in poor health and could not do manual labor; Prakash’s mother earned money from the small patch of infertile land the family owned and part-time work on other farms. Prakash was enrolled in school and advanced to the third grade. Although they were living in poverty, the family was content.
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- Prakash’s life had a modest but happy beginning. Prakash lived with his parents and three siblings in a remote village in Nepal’s Chitwan district. Prakash’s father was in poor health and could not do manual labor; Prakash’s mother earned money from the small patch of infertile land the family owned and part-time work on other farms. Prakash was enrolled in school and advanced to the third grade. Although they were living in poverty, the family was content.
