Informal sector integration of women-waste workers

Context & Challenge:

• The city of Aurangabad faced significant challenges in managing its solid waste, with only 1% of Multi-Layered Plastics (MLP) waste being collected and managed through the formal system. The rest was - at best - left in unsanitary dumpsites, with much openly burned or dumped into the environment.
• Informal sector workers, crucial to the waste system, often operated in hazardous conditions without protective gear, fair wages, or access to health services.
• The challenge was to create a sustainable waste management system that improved city cleanliness and uplifted the livelihoods of these informal workers.

Our Intervention:

• rePurpose Global partnered with Ecosattva to transform the waste management landscape in Aurangabad. The project provided informal waste pickers with formal jobs at Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs), offering stable salaries, protective gear, and access to government benefits. Prior to the intervention, these workers were exploited by scrap dealers, lacked formal recognition, and had no support for their children or health insurance.
• The project integrated waste pickers into the formal system, providing them with ID cards, uniforms, regular salaries, improved their creditworthiness, and offered significant social benefits. Effective training programs were implemented to teach both technical and soft skills, such as digital literacy and personal health.
• Additionally, monthly groceries, childcare support, health camps, and recreational spaces were provided and all festivals and social events were celebrated.
  

Key Outcomes:

• The initiative successfully integrated 100+ informal waste workers into the formal waste management system, significantly improving their quality of life. It eliminated child labor, ensured fair wages, and enhanced overall city cleanliness by improving waste collection and processing practices.