STARS Foundation

Meet Biraj

Biraj is 11 years old. He has been living in Hamro Ghar transit home, run by Nepal GoodWeave Foundation, for the last eight months. He is from a rural village based 600km away from Kathmandu where his family is currently living.

Biraj came to Kathmandu with a relative and was forced to work in a carpet factory to send money back to his family. He worked in the factory for a period of 2 weeks before he was identified by a Nepal GoodWeave inspector. As most child labourers, Biraj had to look after the weaver’s babies in the morning and weave the carpet himself in the afternoon.

Biraj calls his parents regularly from the centre but has trouble reaching them due to poor network reception in his home village. He is planning to spend time with them during the next festival holiday.

Biraj feels happy and safe at the centre. He is now in Class 1 and learning more and more every day. Most of the children who arrive at the centre are illiterate or have dropped out of school.

When he becomes older, Biraj wants to become a policeman so that he can catch thieves.