In 2024, Traid began funding a new project in India and Nepal in partnership with the incredible NGO GoodWeave to prevent child labour in the rug, textiles, and garment sector. In many textile working communities across India and Nepal, serious poverty often forces children to miss out on their education and instead turn to work to help support their families. GoodWeave intervenes and stops this from happening by working alongside communities to create pathways to education, life opportunities and providing critical support for children at-risk and affected by child labour.

We are delighted to share the story of one girl Saloni who is supported by the project to empower herself and others. Saloni, aged 14, lives in Sarjoli, a village outside Jaipur, in the Indian state of Rajasthan with her mother and three sisters. Many families in Sarjoli are part of the weaving industry, crafting exquisite textiles that find their way to high-end markets around the world.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Saloni’s family’s economic situation worsened. Her father left to find work in another town, and Saloni was forced to leave the local private school to work odd jobs and support her mother, a home-based garment worker. 

In this hardship, Seema Devi, a GoodWeave community program facilitator, visited Saloni’s family. GoodWeave supports social programs across several communities in Northern India, including in Sarjoli, where Seema plays a vital role. Facilitators are embedded in the communities they serve, supporting children, especially girls, to pursue an education, and raise awareness among community members about the importance of keeping children in school and not sending them to work.

With Seema’s support, Saloni’s parents were connected to a government sponsorship program that provided food and financial relief, allowing Saloni to re-enroll in a local government school.

In the summer of 2024, Seema invited Saloni to join GoodWeave’s Girls Empowerment group, a program that brings together girls from the community to discuss important issues like women’s health, harassment, and mental well-being. The group also encourages girls to speak up about gender equality, child marriage, and their roles in the community. Saloni was shy at first, as a member of the Dalits – a caste that faces discrimination and stigma – she was not confident to stand in front of a group of people and speak her mind. Slowly Saloni’s confidence grew, and session after session, her peers began to admire her for her strong voice and sharp arguments. 

During one of these sessions, Saloni befriended Rasina, a 16-year-old girl who was set to marry in January 2025. Rasina shared with Saloni that she didn’t want to get married and wanted to finish her studies but felt powerless to tell her family. Having just learned about the dangers of child marriage in one of the empowerment group’s sessions, Saloni and other group members, guided by Seema, decided to speak to Rasina’s and her groom’s parents. After several conversations, they succeeded. Rasina’s marriage was postponed, giving her the chance to first complete her education. 

Saloni’s confidence has soared, and she wants to continue to be a changemaker in her community. “I want to engage all the girls in Sarjoli in the Empowerment Groups,” she says with pride. “I’m motivated to keep standing up for their rights.” 

To date, we have committed £60,000 to this project thanks to everyone who shops, donates and supports Traid. You can read more about this project here.