rag pickers

“We told them how they were all silent environmentalists, And they deserve their place in society,'' says the woman whose initiative is helping BBMP save Rs 83 crores annually!

"We felt that their work was phenomenal, and yet, they remained invisible.”

India, a country of 1.3 billion people and obvious high use of plastic, is not one among the top ten plastic polluters in the world!

Phoolwanti had no time for school, but she was eager to study. She imagined how school would look like every single day she set out to work with her mother. Thanks to timely and patient intervention, Phoolwanti was finally able to achieve her dream of education.

Plastic drums, paint cans, buckets, glass bottles and throw away junk – what do you get when you bring all these together? “Music!” say the rag picking children of Mumbai’s Dharavi slum.

Now waste collectors and agencies will get the much needed recognition of a national award for their incredible services. The winners will also get Rs. 1.5 lakhs cash prize each!

From getting ID cards and uniforms to health insurance and scholarships for their kids, Suman has given a new respect to the ragpickers. Watch her speak at the ILO conference in Geneva about her challenges and how she revolutionized the way waste pickers are treated in the country.