Former child weaver, Man Kumari, 15, now attending high school

"RugMark has given me the opportunity to study at this school, it has changed my life. Now, I am studying hard and I know how important it is for my future to have education."

My name is Man Kumari. I am 15 years old and from Deurali in the Sarlai district of Nepal. Sarlahi district is in Janakpur Zone (Eastern Development Region). The village is one of the remote parts of the district and about 500 km away from Kathmandu.

I was 9 years old when my parents sent me to work in the rug factory with my aunt and uncle, so I could support the family as we are very poor. My parents work as agricultural labourers and my brothers and sisters stay at home, because we can’t afford for them to go to school.

When I worked in the factory I was always frightened and hungry. The RugMark inspector came and found me and persuaded my Uncle to send me to the RugMark centre and rehabilitate me.

My life is very different now - I am in class 8 at Laboratory Higher Secondary in Kirtipur, Kathmandu. This is a boarding school, and I live in the girl's hostel. Now I study in class, I eat well and I am never hungry. I love going to school - we study from 10am to 4pm, and after that the time is our own to play and study. It is completely different to my life at the factory. Sometimes, I go the zoo or go swimming or for a picnic with my friends, it is wonderful.

RugMark has given me the opportunity to study at this school, it has changed my life. Now, I am studying hard and I know how important it is for my future to have education. For the future I want to be a good social worker, earn lots of money and enroll my siblings in school.