For centuries, weaving has been a proud profession, passed down from generation to generation. Even today, many of us know or can name a handweaving family or two. But some children in developing countries are forced to work at weaving, particularly carpet weaving, instead of getting an education, dooming them to lives of hardship and poverty. The handmade carpet industry exploits nearly 250,000 children worldwide. Unprincipled carpet factories employ children because they will work for low wages in poor conditions, making lower-grade rugs more profitable to sell.
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The Anti-Slavery Society reports that especially in the poorest parts of India, Southeast Asia, Northern Africa and the Middle East “young children still work in horrific conditions” with poor lighting and ventilation that damage the children’s eyesight and cause lung disease from the wool dust and lint in the air. (For contrast, check out this video of Turkish women weaving carpets in a well-lit studio as their children laugh and play nearby.)
Here’s the good news: you can help prevent abuse and enslavement of children by choosing carpets with the GoodWeave or Rugmark label. The GoodWeave program, implemented by RugMark International, is helping to transform the handmade rug industry by certifying child-labor-free rugs and by providing rehabilitation, daycare, literacy programs, formal schooling and vocational training to rescued and at-risk children. Manufacturers must meet their high certification standards and agree to random, independent inspections to earn the GoodWeave label. GoodWeave has freed more than 3,600 children from exploitation at weaving. The program is funded by direct donations and by funds from certain Internet transactions, in case you want to help them shine light into a few more lives.
Do you know of an organization that’s helping weavers in need somewhere in the world? If you do, please drop us a note and tell us all about it.
(Photos of children (c) Romano/Stolen Childhoods. Used courtesy of Rugmark Foundation.)
Click here to read about kids helped by GoodWeave.