End to Child Labour

In Madhesh Pradesh, thousands of children spend their childhoods working instead of learning. The Rautahat district, in Madhesh Pradesh, has the biggest concentration of brick factories in all of Nepal. 9 out of 10 working children do not attend school.

Many spend long days making bricks, while others work in agriculture, collect rubbish, sell goods on the streets or carry out other forms of hazardous work. Poverty, discrimination and a lack of educational opportunities mean many families have few alternatives.

Our undercover investigations have already identified more than 2,700 children working in brick factories in just one district. Behind every number is a child whose future is being shaped by work instead of education.

Removing a child from work is only the beginning.

If families continue living in poverty, children are often forced back into work.

That’s why our End to Child Labour programme supports not only children, but also their families and wider communities. By combining education, sustainable livelihoods, community engagement and long-term support, we’re creating the conditions that allow children to stay in school—not return to work.

Ending child labour means changing the systems that allow it to continue.

Alongside supporting children and families, we work with schools, communities and government agencies to promote education, challenge child labour and identify children who remain trapped in work.

Our outreach team continues to investigate brick factories, identify vulnerable children and map new communities where support is needed most, allowing us to replicate the programme across the Rautahat district and in the future across the whole of Madhesh Pradesh.

Families remain part of the programme for up to two years, receiving training, mentoring and practical support to build sustainable incomes that remove the need for child labour.

We believe lasting change happens when entire communities become part of the solution.

Parents are central to the success of our programme. Every month we bring all the parents together to discuss their children’s education, as well as other subjects such as the dangers of child labour, the importance of education, and further opportunities that we can offer to the parents to help them become financially independent.

Beyond working with parents, we deliver regular awareness sessions in schools and communities on child labour, child marriage, children’s rights and the importance of education.

By strengthening local partnerships and listening to community voices, we’re helping create environments where children can remain in school and thrive.

Every child back in education.

Every family earning a sustainable income.

Every community choosing education over child labour.

Together, these changes are helping create communities where every child has the opportunity to learn, grow and shape their own future.