Hasiru Dala

As the waste pickers were an untrained workforce, their contribution to effective waste management was seen to be minimal. The organisation to address this launched certification programmes in partnership with Jain University and the Waste Wise Trust. It has developed a manual for organic waste management and terrace gardening in addition to developing four training manuals on the subject of waste management.

The Hasiru Mane or Green home programme of Hasiru Dala focuses on supporting waste pickers to realise their dream of owning a house at an affordable cost. It partners with State Government agencies to identify land and get them allotted to the waste pickers and also provision for zero-interest finance.

Due to the waste pickers being outside the formal waste management space, the organisation found that they do not have access to welfare schemes and Government benefits. Hasiru Dala proceeded to set this right by first getting identity cards issued to the waster pickers followed by establishing proof of residence. This enabled the waste pickers to access various welfare schemes operated by the Government.

To help the children of waste pickers access quality education and learning facilities the organisation works on several programmes including extending scholarships and educational loans, providing hostel facilities to children who need urgent rehabilitation, setting up community libraries and mobile libraries to reach the underprivileged, imparting life skills through the medium of arts, an annual workshop to bring school drop-outs into the mainstream and conducting the annual read aloud day celebration where volunteers read aloud to children in schools, communities, libraries and public spaces.

Its livelihood programme sets out to provide dignity of labour to the waste workers. The waste workers were working as an unorganised force collecting and dumping waste. Hasiru Dala is transforming the workforce by training and upgrading waste pickers to become service providers instead.

It trains the workers in organic waste management, event waste management, and through a certification course enhancing skills of small entrepreneurs in the recycling industry, in collaboration with Waste Wise Trust and Jain University.

It also advocates for relevant changes in legislation to include waste pickers as a formal workforce providing a stable income for them. It initiated the work of establishing dry waste collection centres in prominent cities of Karnataka considering the social, economic and environmental impacts.

Since its inception, Hasiru Dala has been facilitating access to social security for waste pickers and their families. Step One When we start work in any city, our first step is to approach the local government to issue Identity Cards to waste pickers. We started with government recognized Occupational Identity Cards to bring awareness to their contribution in the waste system, including saving the city government money, and mitigating climate change through recycling. The BBMP-issued Occupational Identity Cards have the Hasiru Dala logo on the back, along with the logo of the city and signature of the Commissioner. Later Hasiru Dala with other organisations worked toward this becoming codified in the National Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016. Having an Occupational Identity Card opens the door to having social security with material benefits for the waste pickers. The second step is helping establish proof of residential/home address. The third is to help waste pickers gain financial inclusion by identifying and applying for different schemes available to all poor of the state. Not all schemes can be accessed by everyone. Schemes are based on set criteria – these criteria can be age, disability, gender, caste, income or widowing, and no person can fulfil the criteria for every single scheme. On an average, at least 4-8 schemes can be availed by individual waste pickers or their family members. Special schemes that are specific to waste pickers are education scholarships of Rs. 3,500 a year. NSKFDC (National Safai Karmachari Development Corporation – National Sanitation workers Commission) has special training, educational and entrepreneurs’ loans for waste pickers and their children. Training for children of waste pickers and to upskill waste pickers to take a professional job within the waste sector is also conducted on a regular basis directly by Hasiru Dala or in collaboration with other organizations. Hasiru Dala works with Alliance of Indian Wastepickers nationally and many networks in the state to address policy for social security nationally and at the state level. In special times like the COVID-19, relief activities were also taken to support the community in crisis.

Our approach is centered around dignity in labour for waste workers. In order for waste workers to have dignity in livelihood, we have created an approach that will increase financial stability and improve working conditions. Training and upgrading the skills for waste pickers to become service providers. Training provided include, organic waste management, event waste management, and a certification course: Enhancing skills of small entrepreneurs in the recycling industry, in collaboration with Waste Wise Trust and Jain University. (A deemed University) Working with the local, state and union governments towards policy and legislative changes for inclusion of waste pickers into the formal waste management of the city that assures dignified and predictable income. Training waste pickers to be hired by the government and private entities avail their services in door to door collection of waste. Dry Waste Collection Centres – started in Bengaluru and since, have expanded to Mysuru, Tumakuru, Hubbali/ Dharwad, Davanagere, Chamarajanagar, Ullala, Rajahmundry. DWCCs showcase the three cornerstones that define the Sustainability Model – Social Considerations, Economic Considerations and the Environmental Impact.