“Moving from my village in Beed, Maharashtra, to Pune with my children, like many other women, I began waste picking without recognition or fair compensation. Through our union Kagad Kach Patra Kashtakari Panchayat (KKPKP), we claimed dignity for our labor. Later, forming SWaCH Cooperative with Pune Municipal Corporation, we became the city's primary waste collectors and owners of India's largest waste picker cooperative. My journey not only changed my residence but also transformed my identity.
SWaCH is a unique cooperative led by women waste pickers that has cemented a place for informal waste pickers, belonging to marginalized castes & communities in the mainstream waste management and the social fabric of the city. 70 percent of SWaCH members are women who have been handling waste sustainably for years. To enhance women's workforce participation in India, we require accessible childcare, education, and fair wages. At SWaCH, waste pickers, including single mothers and elderly women, are empowered to work to their capacity, earn a dignified livelihood, and live with dignity. We advocate for inclusive workplaces, supportive policies, and gender equality principles to foster growth and empowerment. Workplace safety, job security, equal decision-making opportunities, and skill development platforms will further attract women to the workforce.
We have been successful in establishing waste picking as a proper vocation in Pune through our organizations, inspiring global waste picker community. Recognition of waste pickers as essential environmental workers has grown over the years. However, misperception at large around our profession is caused by social indifference and lack of empathy. I, along with SWaCH, continue to work towards an equitable, socially just, and humane society.”
Suman More, Chairperson, SWaCH.
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