Company C joined GoodWeave in 2005 to give back to the weaving communities in India and benefit those who make our rugs.  We’re happy to report, Goodweave has accomplished a lot since then.

Today, GoodWeave continues to monitor child labor, while supporting educational programs for children and partnering with rug making companies to develop safe practices in working conditions and fair wages.

Enjoy a post from Nina Smith, Executive Director of GoodWeave USA, as she shares her favorite GoodWeave firsts from 2012.

We thank GoodWeave for their dedication and progress and wish them new successes in 2013!

This year, the question of how to end child labor was discussed from Capitol Hill to corporate board rooms to the Clinton Global Initiative, where this fall the President made a historic speech. Over and over, the answer has been: working with the private sector and through supply chain monitoring.

I am heartened by the new direction in our movement. And over the last year, GoodWeave has been out in front—leading the way and leveraging momentum. Here are five of my favorite “firsts” from 2012:

First rescue | January 13
GoodWeave inspectors found 11-year-old Sanju Maya, who was sold by her father to a labor broker for a promised $40/month. Her courageous story and contagious smile were later featured in the Chronicle of Philanthropy:

A Charity Braves a Shadowy Industry to Rescue Children.

First school | May 12
Acclaimed photographer U. Roberto Romano and I spent an inspiring day in Badeshi. This Indian village never had a school until Project Musk an (meaning “smile”), our non-formal education program which has enrolled 1,200 kids in remote weaving communities.

First daycare | July 17
We cut the ribbon on the first Good Weave daycare center in Afghanistan serving weaving mothers in a community of recently returned refugees.

First rug | November 28
The first certified child-labor-free carpet made in Afghanistan was ceremoniously labeled by the Minster of Commerce and Industry in Kabul.

First place | December 3
Good Weave earned full member status of ISEAL—joining just 12 other standard-setting organizations around the world who are considered the leaders in their respective sectors.

I hope you feel proud of what we accomplished in 2012 and that Good Weave’s market-driven solution is at the center of the modern abolitionist discussion. First and foremost—we could not do it without you.

With gratitude and best wishes this holiday season,

Nina Smith
Executive Director
Good Weave USA

Photo Credit: © U. Roberto Romano