Born in a semi-urban farming area 350 miles east of Kathmandu, Jyoti Raj works as an inspector for Nepal GoodWeave Foundation. He lives with his extended family, all of whom depend on him. Each workday, he inspects rug production sites, talking to owners and workers and raising awareness about the rights of children. He also checks in on how the rescued children are doing at GoodWeave’s community-based rehabilitation programs.

“When I find a needy child working, I work to persuade them to come with me; sometimes it takes time until they trust me. Also, the factory owner and guardians of the child often need convincing of the importance of the child coming to the GoodWeave rehabilitation center, to live and study. When they finally come with me, I feel very satisfied.”

Jyoti feels he leads a simple life, and he wishes to dedicate it to those rural people who are illiterate, unemployed, and vulnerable, adding that “I believe it is important to work and live for others, not just ourselves.”

When asked what he might say to a person looking at GoodWeave-certified rugs, he states plainly, “My message to anyone buying a rug is please think about what you buy, as you could change the fate of these children.”