Nepal Goodweave Foundation, an organisation working to end illegal child labour in the carpet industry, elected a nine-member working committee through its annual general meeting and convention held yesterday.

 

During the convention, Aang Lami Sherpa was elected as the new chairperson, Ramkala Khadka vice chairperson, Ubaraj Bhandari general secretary and Dawa Sherpa as the treasurer.

 

Other members of the new working committee include Dr Chapala Koirala, Prajwal Dangol, Bikal Prasad Shrestha, Chhiring Lama and Dr Bal Gopal Baidhya.

 

Presenting the annual report, outgoing general secretary Balaram Gurung said the organisation provided

consultancy services to as many as 1,603 labourers, including children, and also inspected 631 carpet factories in the last fiscal year.

 

“The foundation also provided relief materials to 6,684 carpet factory labourers affected by the April 25 earthquake. It is currently working to rehabilitate 425 families affected by the quake,” he said. He further said that they have included 250 quake affected children in their educational support project. Gurung further said that the foundation has been providing skills training such as carpet weaving and dyeing to around 300 men and women.

 

According to Gurung, future programmes of NGF include providing education and health services to children living in the rehabilitation centres, reuniting 50 children with their families by providing them educational materials and providing scholarship to children of carpet factory laborers, among others.