BBC Media Action (BBC’s international charity) leverages the power of media and communications to promote safer, sustainable environments and inclusive societies. They bring together a unique blend of creative storytelling, research, international development expertise, deep local knowledge of audiences and an invaluable link to the BBC and everything it stands for.

Activities

#Invaluables campaign: 

#Invaluables is an idea created to reframe the work of waste pickers, from being seen as dirty to be seen as someone who handles the waste of the city, from being seen as sub-human to be seen as people like everyone else, from being seen as vagabonds to be seen as skilled and productive – from being invisible, to be seen as invaluable.

BBC Media Action delivers their work by:

• Innovative storytelling approaches to create content    
• Collaborating with mainstream and environmental influencers and media to engage the general public      
• Partnering with schools, colleges and businesses to engage young people    
• Collaborating with Saamuhika Shakti to reach and engage the waste pickers community and their families   

#Invaluables campaign were launched over four cycles during Phase 1 of Saamuhika Shakti:

• ‍Waste pickers as friends Bengaluru never knew they had: In the first cycle, #Invaluables aimed to lift the shroud of invisibility on the often-overlooked contributions of waste pickers, making their essential role more visible to Bengaluru’s citizens. A social experiment film (📹 Bengaluru is discovering invaluable friends who had remained invisible till now) was central to this effort, exploring the meaning of friendship by introducing waste pickers as the ‘Invaluable’ friends the people of Bengaluru never knew they had.

• ‍Celebrating the contributions of #InvaluableRecyclers: The second cycle focused on highlighting the environmental impact of waste pickers in Bengaluru, who collect and are responsible for diverting almost 38,32,50,00,00 kilograms of waste from reaching landfills every year. This phase was centred around the Happy Number music video (📖 38,32,50,000: Bengaluru's Happy Number), to celebrate the contribution of waste pickers to the city of Bengaluru. To cultivate a feeling of dignity, respect and professional pride among waste pickers, Happy Number was also disseminated among waste pickers through digital and offline channels, in collaboration with Saamuhika Shakti partners. Learn more about BBC Media Action’s work with influencers here: 📖 Influencing for good: It works! 
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• ‍Bringing #Invaluables offline and launch of Instagram brand: In the third cycle, a Landfill Art Installation was showcased at business parks and colleges, alongside a series of fire-side chats called ‘Coffee with Recyclers.’ These events featured a popular actor and waste pickers, highlighting their skills and expertise within the circular economy. Additionally, leading mainstream influencers created content to amplify awareness and encourage citizens to support #InvaluableRecyclers in recycling efforts. @Invaluables.Bengaluru, was launched on Instagram to continue the momentum, allowing for more frequent engagement beyond the phase-wise approach. 
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• ‍Coffee with Recyclers on YouTube: In the last cycle, a four-part YouTube series titled Coffee with Recyclers (📹 Time for Bengaluru’s favorite coffee-ಬೆಂಗಳೂರಿನ ಕಾಫಿಯ ಜೊತೆ ಮನಮುಟ್ಟುವ ನೈಜ ಕಥೆಗಳು) was launched to engage with the vernacular audience. Each episode of the series delves into the lives of waste pickers, their families, work, skills and expertise they bring to the profession of waste management as recyclers. To foster a sense of dignity, respect and professional pride among waste pickers, episodes of Coffee with Recyclers were shared with waste pickers through digital and offline channels, in collaboration with Saamuhika Shakti partners.

In Phase 2 of Saamuhika Shakti, BBC Media Action is continuing to build on the momentum created by @Invaluables.Bengaluru Instagram brand. The page continues to spotlight stories and challenges faced by waste pickers in Bengaluru, offering actionable ways for citizens to support their efforts in making waste more recyclable and easing the burden on growing landfills. In addition, high-impact, call-to-action content will be rolled out across social media, alongside an offline campaign that engages audiences through out-of-home activities, activations and long-term strategic collaborations.

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Impact

• On digital platforms, #Invaluables reached 10.6 million social media users in Bengaluru, generating 70 million impressions, earning 30.8 million video views and an engagement rate of 65%  
• 86 stories about the #Invaluables initiative and Saamuhika Shakti have been published on mainstream and vernacular media 
• Six radio interviews with key spokespersons for #Invaluables, with an airtime of 54 minutes across private radio stations in Bengaluru 
• 4,150 waste pickers and their families in Bengaluru reached through digital and offline channels in collaboration with Saamuhika Shakti partners

Research conducted at the end of Phase 1 of Saamuhika Shakti by BBC Media Action shows that the #Invaluables campaign (2021-2023) improved awareness of the role of waste pickers in waste management, increased appreciation for their work and sparked discussions about their contributions.

The campaign successfully shifted public perceptions, enhancing empathy and reframing waste pickers’ identities. It highlighted the importance of recognising waste pickers as professionals and promoted the idea of ‘mindful disposal’ of waste, which contributes to their professional pride.