In rural carpet weaving communities in India and Nepal, economic hardship and limited access to education can increase the risk of child labor.

For families struggling to meet basic needs, the cost of sending children to school can be difficult to afford, while economic pressures may also push children into work to help support their households. Some villages are too far from schools and lack access to transportation, making school attendance difficult or, in some cases, impossible. Many carpet weaving communities also rely on agriculture to supplement their income, which is becoming less reliable due to climate change.

GoodWeave partners with local organizations in India and Nepal’s carpet weaving regions to implement child labor prevention programs based on community needs. In 2025, over 30,600 children were directly provided educational opportunities through GoodWeave-supported programs.

In India, GoodWeave operates 24 Child Friendly Communities (CFCs), where community members and local organizations work together to support children’s school enrollment and reduce their vulnerability to child labor. Each year, CFC facilitators go door to door to assess children’s learning levels and identify those who are out of school. If a child is not enrolled in school, facilitators will work with their family to support their enrollment. Children who have fallen behind their expected grade level can receive bridge education at one of the 27 GoodWeave-supported Motivation and Learning Camps, helping them catch up and transition into formal schooling.

In Nepal, GoodWeave’s Sponsored Education Program helps families facing economic hardship cover the cost of school supplies, reducing financial pressures that can put children at risk of entering work. GoodWeave also partners with local organizations to provide early childhood education through day care centers in weaving communities in Kathmandu. In 2025, over 200 children of carpet workers attended a day care where they play and learn the value of education, preparing them for primary school and beyond.

Removing barriers to education should not solely be the responsibility of local organizations. It is important that local and state governments understand the barriers and help implement solutions. In Panipat, Haryana, a major barrier to schooling for migrant children is the lack of Aadhaar cards (India’s national identification system). In 2023, GoodWeave advocacy in the state led the state government to issue a directive allowing schools to create temporary IDs for migrant children so they could enroll in school. As a result, up to 61,000 children from migrant families in Panipat were able to access schooling from this directive

Access to education can change the trajectory of a child’s life. Beyond building literacy and other foundational skills, school provides a supportive environment for children to learn, develop, and prepare for future opportunities. GoodWeave works to remove barriers to education so children can remain in school and have a brighter future.