Dhirendra Budha, Puspa Magar

Dhirendra Budha (17) and Puspa Magar (17), are from Nepal. These changemakers know child labor firsthand, because they live it. Still working as child laborers today, they’ve faced the hardships of that life directly, and turned that experience into a mission: making sure working children have the same rights as every other child.

They formed an advisory committee made up of working children themselves, teaching members about their legal rights and leading child-led advocacy campaigns. They ran awareness programs to discourage parents from sending kids to work, and held orientation sessions in community schools. They organized rallies, joined national and local policy dialogues, and even helped draft the Child Labor Prohibition Act 2056, while contributing to discussions on amending the Children’s Act 2075.

The impact reaches far beyond their own communities: working children now sit on local Child Rights Committees and child networks, giving them a real voice in decisions that affect their lives. Through their courage and persistence, these young advocates are proving that children who work can still lead, and that no child should be denied their rights.