March 1998
In recent years an international campaign against child labour has devastated India’s once thriving export of rugs.Sunlight streams through dusty looms. For centuries the nimble fingers of children have been used to weave the beautiful carpets, often under conditions of virtual slavery. Now its a $200 million industry.
Now, under the international media spotlight, the carpet manufacturers are trying to clean up their Image. They’ve introduced the ‘Rugmark’ registration system, which guarantees no child labour has been used in carpets bearing the ‘Rugmark’ label. Shaukat Ansari has 3,000 looms. He’s under pressure from Western buyers to prove no child’s sweat is spent.
But the system has its problems. It is impossible to police as there are 25,000 looms and only 15 inspectors. At a small factory crammed with weavers, looms and colourful swathes of wool, some of the weavers are mysteriously absent and the inspectors say they face constant attempts at bribery. Even children who have been ‘rescued’ from the looms find that economic necessity drives them back. Many are terrified they will lose their jobs. A weaver can expect to be paid a handsome $36 for 9 months work to make a rug.
However, one local NGO offers a more viable alternative. Robin Garland gave up his post as CEO of a huge UK carpet business to run Project Mara. The children there study for half of the day and work the looms for the other half. Pintu is 11, 4 years too young to work the looms but his family needed every penny they could get.
URL : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4PD8xxJ7Xc&feature=related