Durga Lal KC

Radha Kumal, a former Kamlari (indentured girl child labourer), is a tailor. A resident of Gobardiha VDC-9 in Dang district, she is the sole breadwinner for her family. Radha earns more than Rs 6,000 per month to provide for her kin, in sharp contrast to her yearly income of Rs 3,000 as a domestic help.

There are scores of other former Kamlaris engaged in tailoring, which has turned out to be their main source of income to support themselves and their families. They have opened tailoring shops at various places in the district. Each earns more than Rs 200 per day stitching clothes.

“We are busy all day long. Some days we earn more than Rs 200,” said Radha, adding that this profession is more beneficial and dignified for them than the earlier one. “We can be involved in this profession with a sense of confidence and freedom,” said Rewati Chaudhary of Gobardiha.

“We were discriminated against as Kamlaris. Here’s a sea change in our life after taking up this job,” she said.

“Now we are not bound to take loans from landlords to meet household expenses. If we do not borrow money, we are not compelled to work as domestic labourers,” said Rewati.

She added her siblings go to school, expressing hope that they will not be compelled to work as domestic labourers in future unlike what they were in landlords’ houses after borrowing money from them.

Of late, many freed Kamlaris in the district have been lured by the profession. Rights activist Krishna Kumar Chaudhary says grown-up freed Kamlaries prefer a profession to study. Most of the more than 200 Kamlaries engaged in various professions have taken up tailoring.

Tailoring centres opened by Kamlaries are found in Gobardiha, Gangaparaspur, Sonpur, Chailahi, Tulasipur and Narayanpur, among other VDCs. Some of them are located in the countryside while others are in small towns.

“We will seek future in this profession and won’t be domestic labourers again,” said Asmita Chaudhary of Gangaparaspur.

Published on: 28 May 2011 | The Kathmandu Post