Dreams take flight in the heart of Udaipur, near the New RTO area, where a story of resilience, hope, and transformation is unfolding on a daily basis. While the country is still battling the never-ending chapter of caste discrimination and tackling the bane of untouchability among the lower strata of society, there has emerged a new stratum of touch-me-nots. In simple terms here is a poignant story of women from waste-picker families, who wake up every morning at 5 a.m. dreaming of a better future, despite facing the daily challenges of social stigma. These women, along with their daughters, tirelessly collect waste, ensuring a cleaner city while barely managing to make ends meet. The fact that they labor hard often putting their lives at risk, hardly resonates or finds empathy with the society at large.
Yet, these women face more than just economic struggles. They live under the shadow of societal prejudice, often being treated as second-class citizens. One such appalling incident was shared by Anjali, a young girl from the community, who recounted visiting a tailor shop with her friend. While her friend’s clothes were readily accepted for stitching, Anjali’s were refused outright due to her identity as a waste-picker.
A similar incident was shared by Payal, a 17-year-old, who expressed the pain and trauma of being rejected and having to stitch her clothes herself at home. However, these experiences did not break the duo’s spirit. Instead, it sparked a desire—a desire to learn stitching not only for their own dignity but also to shore up their families’ income.
Recognizing this gaping need, the FINILOOP team stepped in. They conducted a meeting with the women of the community to understand their aspirations. The unanimous response was a need for some arrangement to learn stitching by way of formal training. But as the team began searching for a space to set up a stitching center, they encountered further rejections from landlords who were totally unwilling to rent out spaces to waste-picker families. These refusals were steeped in stereotypical biases, with property owners citing fears of theft and “misconduct.”
Despite these setbacks, the young women as well as the FINILOOP team kept up their search to find a training center. At long last, the breakthrough came when the team approached the Aishwarya Group of Education, a private college near the New RTO area which decided to play the good Samaritan, albeit after expressing strong reservations. After hearing about the community’s struggles and the team’s assurances of their sincerity, the college director decided to take a bold stand. The institution not only provided space for the stitching center but also promised continued support to proactively help uplift the community.
Today, this stitching center stands as a standard bearer of affirmative action. More than 20 women and girls, including Anjali and Payal, are undergoing professional training in stitching. For these women, the center is more than just a place to learn a skill—it is a step towards reclaiming their dignity, earning a livelihood, and break free from the shackles of societal bias.
This initiative underscores a vital truth: empowerment is not just about financial assistance; it is about creating opportunities and breaking down barriers. The collaboration between FINILOOP and the Aishwarya Group of Education exemplifies how partnerships can drive meaningful change, even among the most marginalized communities.
As we celebrate the progress of these women, let this story remind us of the potential that lies untapped in countless such communities. It is a call to action for society to look beyond prejudice and invest in the dreams of those who clean our cities yet remain anonymous if not unseen. After all, true progress is measured not by the wealth of a few but by the dignity and opportunities afforded to all.
The FINILOOP team has taken one more step towards mainstreaming informal waste workers (IWW).