From being waste pickers whose work went unrecognised to becoming waste managers, women have quietly been etching an unusual success story in Bengaluru. A sizeable number of the 181 dry waste collection centres (DWCCs) in the city are managed by women, who were mostly waste pickers earlier.
The lives of these women — such as Subbamma, who went from worrying about her next meal to becoming a guide of sorts for local residents about waste segregation, and Geetha, who overcame initial challenges to successfully lead a team of eight men — have been transformational.
Nalini Shekar from Hasiru Dala, an organisation that helps these waste pickers, said nearly 30% of the DWCCs under them are managed by women. It was this organisation that pushed the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to issue identity cards to waste pickers and allowed them to manage the DWCCs that were set up across the city.
Once the women gain confidence, the memorandum of understanding and work orders are transferred to their name. Their journey and relationship with waste has been remarkable, so much so that many of them are now leading “respectable lives” by their own account. Overdraft facility has been extended to the savings bank accounts of these women. “The overdraft facility of up to ₹1 lakh helps these women manage the centre much better, as it helps cover the running cost of the centre. So far, 10 women have utilised this facility,” said Ms. Shekar.
