OUR
WORK

The Vital Role and Challenges of Waste Pickers

Our cities rely on informal waste pickers. They collect and sort through our waste, keep our streets clean, and ensure that
recyclable materials are reused instead of ending up in landfills – services many of us take for granted.

Despite their significant contributions, waste pickers face numerous challenges. They endure low and unstable wages, face hazardous working conditions, societal discrimination, and limited access to basic services such as social security and protection, quality housing, education, primary healthcare and water and sanitation services. Furthermore, women and girls from within the community experience a higher degree of vulnerability and marginalisation as a result of the prevalent patriarchal structures.

Stigma

31%

of the general population in Bengaluru hold a strong stigma against waste pickers.

LOW INCOME

5%

of waste pickers are connected to formal financial institutions, with an average daily income ranging from INR 300-500.

EDUCATION

54%

of waste pickers have no formal education, and an additional 20% have only completed lower primary school.

gender disparity

49%

of waste pickers are women, they earn up to 33% less for the same work.

limited upward mobility

63%

are not aware of alternative jobs. 30% do not have voter cards. 80% do not have ration cards.

*Source: HMF-FSG Field Research (April 2019)

The Vital Role and Challenges of Waste Pickers

Our cities rely on informal waste pickers. They collect and sort through our waste, keep our streets clean, and ensure that recyclable materials are reused instead of ending up in landfills – services many of us take for granted.

Despite their significant contributions, waste pickers face numerous challenges. They endure low and unstable wages, face hazardous working conditions, societal discrimination, and limited access to basic services such as social security and protection, quality housing, education, primary healthcare and water and sanitation services. Furthermore, women and girls from within the community experience a higher degree of vulnerability and marginalisation as a result of the prevalent patriarchal structures.

Stigma

31%

of the general population in Bengaluru hold a strong stigma against waste pickers.

LOW INCOME

5%

of waste pickers are connected to formal financial institutions, with an average daily income ranging from INR 300-500.

EDUCATION

54%

of waste pickers have no formal education, and an additional 20% have only completed lower primary school.

gender disparity

49%

of waste pickers are women, they earn up to 33% less for the same work and face domestic violence

limited upward mobility

63%

are not aware of alternative jobs. 30% do not have voter cards. 80% do not have ration cards

Why support Waste pickers?

Supporting waste pickers is not only an act of social justice but an essential step towards fostering sustainable and equitable communities. By addressing their needs, we enhance our environment, improve public health and pave the way for a more inclusive and resilient society for everyone.

In Bengaluru, the Saamuhika Shakti initiative works with four categories within the city’s waste management value chain:

Informal Street Waste Collectors:

Individuals who gather recyclable waste from streets and dumps, then sell it to scrap dealers.

Itinerant
Buyers:

Collectors who obtain recyclables directly from households and businesses, subsequently selling them to scrap dealers.

Sorters in
Scrap Shops:

Workers who categorise and sort recyclable waste at scrap shops, preparing it for sale.

Sorters in Dry
Waste Collection Centres (DWCCs):

Individuals who sort recyclable waste at government authorised DWCCs throughout the city.

Informal Street Waste Collectors:

Individuals who gather recyclable waste from streets and dumps, then sell it to scrap dealers.

Itinerant Buyers:

Collectors who obtain recyclables directly from households and businesses, subsequently selling them to scrap dealers.

Sorters in Scrap Shops:

Workers who categorise and sort recyclable waste at scrap shops, preparing it for sale.

Sorters in Dry Waste Collection Centres (DWCCs):

Individuals who sort recyclable waste at government authorised DWCCs throughout the city.

OUR WORK

Saamuhika Shakti is now in Phase 2, running from January 2024 to December 2026, building on the foundation laid in Phase 1 (January 2020 to December 2023). This ongoing effort is dedicated to addressing the specific needs and aspirations of waste picker households, furthering Saamuhika Shakti’s commitment to creating a supportive and equitable environment for all.

Saamuhika Shakti is working towards six key outcomes, supported by two overarching goals that are central to all the goals of the initiative.

Outcomes

1. Enhanced Economic Stability:

Achieve greater economic stability and reduce financial vulnerability for waste pickers and their families.

2. Improved Working Conditions:

Benefit from safer and more secure working conditions.

3. Alternate Professions:

Women and youth have pathways to transition to alternate professions with opportunities for upward mobility, should they choose to do so.

4. Access to Quality Services:

Better access to affordable and high-quality services, including education, healthcare, water and sanitation and housing provided by both public and private sectors.

5. Strengthened Support Systems:  

Families receive the support needed to prevent and address domestic violence, substance abuse and mental health issues.

6. Recognition and Respect:  

Value of waste pickers is recognised by the people of Bengaluru, fostering a sense of dignity, respect and professional pride among the waste picker community.

Overarching Goals

Equitable Access:

Ensure that women, girls, and other vulnerable groups have equitable access to all outcomes.

Community Participation:

Ensure participation of waste picker families in local institutions and community matters linked to project implementation.
The initiative aims to achieve the outcomes through eight intervention areas that are most relevant to the waste picker community, based on assessing the needs and aspirations of waste picker households through in-depth ethnographic survey, expert consultations and dialogues with the communities.
1. Alternate livelihood options:

Create pathways for waste pickers who wish to explore or transition out of the profession through vocational training, life skills, financial literacy program and entrepreneurship support.

2. New Waste Streams Development:

Introduce new waste collection streams to increase income and stabilise earnings for waste pickers.

3. Perception Change:

Enhance professional pride among waste pickers and foster greater respect and recognition from the general public in Bengaluru.

4. Improved Linkages to Government Schemes:

Facilitate application and access to social security schemes and benefits such as housing and loans.

5. Quality education:

Provide access to quality education and learning resource opportunities to support social mobility for waste pickers’ children.

6. Counselling programs:

Build awareness and offer support to reduce substance abuse and domestic violence within waste picker households.

7. Safety and equipment:

Improve working conditions through redesigned equipment and behaviour change programs to ensure proper usage.

8. Safe and hygienic WASH facilities:

Ensure affordable access to clean drinking water and sanitation facilities for waste picker households.

By standing in solidarity with the waste pickers, we invest in a more sustainable and just society. Saamuhika Shakti’s initiative in Bengaluru is not just a program—it is a movement dedicated to addressing the systemic gaps that have kept waste pickers in poverty for too long.

This movement brings forward the voices and contributions of those that are often overlooked but play an essential role in our communities, forging a society where every contribution is recognised, every individual is honoured and every community is empowered to flourish.

SUBSCRIBE

TO OUR NEWSLETTER

Join our mailing list and be the first one to know about our efforts!
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

OUR WORK

Saamuhika Shakti is now in Phase 2, running from January 2024 to December 2026, building on the foundation laid in Phase 1 (January 2020 to December 2023). This ongoing effort is dedicated to addressing the specific needs and aspirations of waste picker households, furthering Saamuhika Shakti’s commitment to creating a supportive and equitable environment for all.

Saamuhika Shakti is working towards six key outcomes, supported by two overarching goals that are central to all the goals of the initiative.

Outcomes

01.

Enhanced Economic
Stability:

Achieve greater economic stability and reduce financial vulnerability for waste pickers and their families.
02.

Improved Working
Conditions:

Benefit from safer and more secure working conditions.
03.

Alternate
Professions:

Women and youth have pathways to transition to alternate professions with opportunities for upward mobility, should they choose to do so.
04.

Access to Quality
Services:

Better access to affordable and high-quality services, including education, healthcare, water and sanitation and housing provided by both public and private sectors.
05.

Strengthened
Support Systems:

Families receive the support needed to prevent and address domestic violence, substance abuse and mental health issues.
06.

Recognition and
Respect:

Value of waste pickers is recognised by the people of Bengaluru, fostering a sense of dignity, respect and professional pride among the waste picker community.

Overarching Goals

Equitable Access:

Ensure that women, girls and other vulnerable groups have equitable access to all outcomes.

Community Participation:

Ensure participation of waste picker families in local institutions and community matters linked to project implementation.
The initiative aims to achieve the outcomes through eight intervention areas that are most relevant to the waste picker community, based on assessing the needs and aspirations of waste picker households through in-depth ethnographic survey, expert consultations and dialogues with the communities.

01.

Alternate
livelihood options:

Create pathways for waste pickers who wish to explore or transition out of the profession through vocational training, life skills, financial literacy program and entrepreneurship support.

02.

New Waste Streams
Development:

Introduce new waste collection streams to increase income and stabilise earnings for waste pickers.

03.

Perception
Change:

Enhance professional pride among waste pickers and foster greater respect and recognition from the general public in Bengaluru.

04.

Improved Linkages
To Government
Schemes:

Facilitate application and access to social security schemes and benefits such as housing and loans.

05.

Quality education:

Provide access to quality education and learning resource opportunities to support social mobility for waste pickers’ children.

06.

Counselling
programs:

Build awareness and offer support to reduce substance abuse and domestic violence within waste picker households.

07.

Safety and
equipment:

Improve working conditions through redesigned equipment and behaviour change programs to ensure proper usage.

08.

Safe and hygienic
WASH facilities:

Ensure affordable access to clean drinking water and sanitation facilities for waste picker households.
By standing in solidarity with the waste pickers, we invest in a more sustainable and just society. Saamuhika Shakti’s initiative in Bengaluru is not just a program—it is a movement dedicated to addressing the systemic gaps that have kept waste pickers in poverty for too long. This movement brings forward the voices and contributions of those that are often overlooked but play an essential role in our communities, forging a society where every contribution is recognised, every individual is honoured and every community is empowered to flourish.

SUBSCRIBE

TO OUR NEWSLETTER

Join our mailing list and be the first one to know about our efforts!
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

SUBSCRIBE

TO OUR NEWSLETTER

Join our mailing list and be the first one to know about our efforts!
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
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Copyright End Poverty - All rights reserved.

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Thank YOU for your interest

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