Carpet weaving is a ‘household’ work in the famous carpet-weaving belt of Varanasi-Bhadohi-Gopiganj. However ironically, the house-women from this area till now had little participation in it. The carpet weaver families are mostly poor and the women of these families are mainly confined to home only.

Therefore, it was always felt that if the women also get an opportunity to work in the family business and support the family income, it could provide a great financial relief to the family. To support this cause, RUGMARK opened a Carpet Weaving Training Centre for Women, in Gopiganj, Bhadohi towards the end of 2002. This Centre is now providing training in carpet weaving to girls and women, who are more than 14 years of age.

This Training Centre provides them training in carpet weaving and gives them skills, which they can use to support their living.

The women get a stipend during their training to support their living. The Training Centre also gives them a chance to get away even though for a short while from the routine of their daily life. By looking at the trainees, one can clearly make out that they are enjoying acquiring new skills and finding good camaraderie in a different, supportive and friendly environment.

In order to make parents and wards aware of the bad impact of child labour , it was felt that adults should also be educated. Many parents also wanted to be educated when they saw how children easily learnt to read and write. Therefore, RUGMARK also started Adult Education Centres for adult weavers near their work place and in the schools. At present, 180 adult weavers are studying in the Adult Education Centres.

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