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Social Welfare and
Rehabilitation for the Children

 
Foto8.jpg (9756 Byte) Inspections are an indispensable feature of RUGMARK, but they would make little sense if no alternatives were created for the children currently working in the industry or who would previously have found jobs there. All importers pay a contribution of at least 1% of the export price of the carpets, which is placed at the disposal of the RUGMARK Foundations in India and Nepal to finance social and rehabilitation programmes for children.
In this way the former child weavers are safeguarded, can be given education and training and are protected from being pressed into illegal employment once again. Regular reports are issued on the use of funds.

Find out more about the social programmes
in India and Nepal that were enabled by RUGMARK.

 

RUGMARK Foundation India:

RUGMARK Primary School in Jagapur, Bairibisa Bhadohi, India
250 weavers’children from age 6 to 13 are given free education at this school set up by the India Rugmark Foundation.
Since August 1996, when the school was opened, 60 children performed well enough to gain promotion to the higher class. Other statitistics from the school:

  • No of villages covered: 8
  • No of families benefitting: 190
  • No af children at school: 250
  • No of children waitlisted: 40


The second RUGMARK Primary School was opened in Newada July 1997. 222 further children go to school there.
The third and fourth RUGMARK Primary School has opened at Handia and Baribisa. The inaugural ceremonies were held in the first week of october 1998. 450 girls and boys go to school there.

Rehabilitation Centre RUGMARK Balashrya (Balashrya means: shelter)
This rehabilitation center opened by the India Rugmark Foundation offers food, shelter, medical care, formal and non-formal education to former child carpet weavers.
75-100 children upto the age of 14 years can be accommodated. The aim of Balashrya is to help the children to develop a healthy attitude towards society and life.

At this time, 69 children are living at the centre. Many of them were liberated from bonded labour at carpet looms. RUGMARK Balashraya cooperates with NGOs which rescue children from illegal work such as the South Asian Coalition against Child Labour (SAACS).

Foto4.jpg (6655 Byte)International NGOs and development organizations conduct other programmes to help the children who worked in the carpet industry.
Such programmes are: Kosi Lok Manch, Ankur, MACLA-Project, Samuday/IDEA. All partners of the campaign against child labour in the carpet industry emphasize education (formal and non-formal) and awareness raising for adults.
Members of the Campaign are: Misereor, Bread for the World, Christian Aid, Unicef, terre des hommes, C.R.E.D.A.


Nepal RUGMARK Foundation:


Children who are found during the inspections by RUGMARK are transferred to the RUGMARK Transit Home in Sanothimi, Bhaktapur.
This centre was founded by Unicef and AAFLI (Asian-American Free Labor Institute). Four Nepalese NGOs have already been chosen to provide the non-formal education and rehabilitation of children taken there.

These NGOs are:

  • Gyanpunj Service Center (GSC), New Baneshwar, Shantinagar
  • Bal Adhyayan tatha Bikas Kendra (BABK), Banasthali
  • Cooperative Society Bungmati (CSB) Bundmati, Lalitpur
  • Education Protection and Help for Children (EPHC), Dhumbarahi


Representatives from UNICEF and AAFLI are active partners in the selection procedure. The NGO-programmes take care of 50 children each. Most of the children are between 8-13 years old. In each rehab-center the children are grouped on the basis of their educational background. Formal and non-formal education and professional skills training are offered in the centres.

 

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