They are involved in a multi-million dollar business. They start work at 10 years of age having the advantage of nimble hands for the intricate work they are involved in. The village we were visiting with Mr. Teli, a subdivisional magistrate, is Ajabgrh. One hundred families are involved in the manufacture of hand-loomed carpets. The children sit at a loom that goes from floor to ceiling with hundreds of strands of string forming the weaving surface. Using dyed wool, they deftly slip a swatch in between the strings, snug it down, and cut with a sharp curved knife. The finished carpet is rolled at the bottom of the loom.

I asked if I could squeeze into the working area and give it a try. They agreed, but took me to a loom being worked by women rather than 12-year-old girls. They also made sure a man was seated between me and the veiled Hindi women. The man showed me how to pull out the correct strings in the pattern, wrap the wool, and then snug it down with a quick cut. It takes 1 person 6-8 months to make one carpet, working eight hour days. They showed us a picture of the carpet's design, but the weavers don't look at the pictures -- both child and adult weavers have memorized the intricate pattern and work from memory. At the end of the work day, the children go to school at night. They are encouraged to attend free school classes by being provided free meals and books.

A six-by-nine foot carpet that takes 6 or more months to make earns the rugmaker's family 5000-6000 rupees ($100-120 dollars USD). This same carpet will sell in Europe or the United States for $10,000 USD or more. While the Indian government instituted laws in the early 1990's to prevent child labor, a provision of the law allows children to work in their homes. This allows the rug trade to provide an income to families that might otherwise have to rely on subsistence farming. Mr. Teli has interviewed 1800 familes involved in making rugs in his district. He wants to unite these families into a cooperative. He's trying to find a way to reduce the huge amount of money taken by the middleman so that the villagers receive more money for their efforts. This could also translate into a better education for the children who are making these rugs. We were truly impressed by Mr. Teli's efforts to improve the educational and other standards for the people he serves.