Waste Pickers Picking Their Way Out of Poverty(PRISM. Poverty Reduction of Informal Workers in Solid Waste

Management Sector)

Progress Update – June 2011 – May 2013

Strengthen/establish IWWs groups for social recognition

To date, the project has formed 50 different groups of IWWs (waste pickers, waste segregators, pheriya (dry waste pickers), scrap owners and door-to door collectors) within different municipalities of Kathmandu Valley. The project formed additional nine groups of IWWs in the second year. Out of the 50 groups, 10 are womens’s groups.

Regular level of activities like capacity building, awareness raising campaigns and exposure visits within the different groups of IWWs has been conducted to strengthen the capacities of all IWWs groups for integration. In addition, activities like group savings and credit mobilisation within the group members, income generating opportunities, informal education and raising awareness on health care services have been provided on regular basis to all the groups. The project has also facilitated the establishment of the first Association of IWWs called SASAJHA (SAMYUKTA SAFAI JAGARAN). SASAJHA is a NGO registered with the District Administration Office (DAO Reg. No.788) and District Development Committee (DDC Reg. No. 813) in Kathmandu on 2013 and affiliated with Social Welfare Council (SWC Aff. No. 36759), Government of Nepal. Through SASAJHA, the project has established the first waste workers Cooperative. To ensure the sustainability of the Association and Cooperative, the project is strengthening IWWs’ group leaders’ skills through leadership training.

Support in issuing identity cards as recognised workers in SWM

This is one of the key activities of the project to ensure the public respect of IWWs and recognition and their contribution in Solid Waste Management (SWM) sector. After several meeting, at different levels, with municipal focal person and other stakeholders involved in SWM, this activity has been revised. The project is issuing ID card to IWWs in coordination with community and local hospitals for an access to health care services as part of social protection schemes. The project has revisited its options and has started distributing ID cards through the IWWs’ Association, SAMYUKTA SAFAI JAGARAN (SASAJA), as a social protection for IWWs. The project has distributed 1000

IWWs health cards through community and local hospitals and 181 IWWs an ID card through SASAJHA.

Conduct studies on good practices, programmes and policies on social protection schemes

Since social protection schemes are very new to Nepal, especially for the informal sector, the project conducted study visits to the Philippines and India (Pune and Delhi). The main objective of the visits were to learn and share experiences on social recognition and protection schemes of IWWs, and to enhance knowledge for good practices and linkages. Reports on social protection schemes (India and the Philippines) have been completed and a report on Good Practice Report on the social protection schemes has been produced which includes the social protection schemes in Europe, with a recommendation on social protection schemes appropriate to Nepal. The project will organise a dissemination workshop in its final year to influence the policy makers to include the schemes within social protection policy.

Provide technical and financial support to pilot innovative social protection schemes

The project has successfully piloted eight social protection schemes out of 9 identified:

Health Care Schemes: The project has successfully piloted the health care schemes and support to 1000 IWWs and their immediate family, in collaboration with different community hospitals: Council for Community Health Services, Dallu Awas; Umamaheswor Community Health Centre, Tikhedewal; Narayan Pariwar Club Clinic, Hyumat; Omkaar Polyclinic and Diagnostic Centre, Bagdole; and Nepal Community Health Development Centre (NCHDC), Nepaltar for outpatient services.

Similarly, the project has provided health insurance model schemes for IWWs, which includes family members, in partnership with Korea Nepal Friendship Hospital, Kathmandu Model Hospital and National Hospital and Cancer Care Centre within the Kathmandu Valley. The project is carrying out raising awareness level activities amongst IWWs on health care, in order to minimise health risks and build better and healthier lives.

Child Protection Schemes: A significant number of children of IWWs are working as waste pickers and supporting their parents with their day to day living. The project is providing access to formal and informal education for the IWWs’ children for their better lives and to reduce child labour in waste management. By the end of second year the project has supported the admission of a total of 412 IWWs children, 203 are female and 209 are male, and also distributed educational material and uniforms jointly with the management committee of the school. Out of 412; 240 IWWs children has been supported by the project in the second year.

Saving and Credit Mobilisation Schemes: The saving and credit mobilisation scheme is built on traditional borrowing and lending practises to build the capacity of IWWs groups to be self-sufficient. The savings will be managed by the group’s committee, nominated through participatory process. This savings and credit mobilisations scheme, created within the groups, has been facilitating and contributing towards easier access to micro lending for the IWWs. Orientation on saving and credit mobilisation was conducted for 44 groups, with 606 male and 148 female members participating. In total 514 (388 male and 126 female) IWWs have continued regular saving within the groups. The total saving of 29 groups is NPR. 452,045.00 (£3,136). These schemes have raised the IWWs’ awareness about micro saving and credit mobilisation system in groups, as well have providing great support to micro lending for immediate support in financial matters. The project is linking IWWs’ groups with the established cooperative of IWWs for increased efficiency.

Women Protection Community Resource Centre (CRC): The project has formed 10 women groups within different municipalities of Kathmandu Valley. The project have established five CRCs with the objective of creating self-sufficiency for social protection schemes like maternity protection schemes, skills training, informal education, health care services, saving and credit mobilisation

and capacity building. The main objective of CRCs is to provide a regular platform where the waste workers, in a team, can share their feelings of happiness, sorrow, develop innovative ideas, and work together for better livelihoods. In total, 137 women members are involved in directly at CRCs. IWWs have been able to bring out the issues, seek to initiate participatory action to address some of the most valid and key issues, through CRCs. The group of IWWs have been meeting on a regular basis and generating the better ideas for the improvement of their life and lives. All the activities are recorded and, based on the records, the project will develop further activities for the IWWs. Similarly, 221 male IWWs have also received benefits like training on health and safety, cooperative and leadership management, saving and credit mobilisation, skill and small scale enterprises training through established CRCs.

Preventive Health Care Schemes: The project has been supporting IWWs groups by providing First Aid boxes at their working stations, with training on how to use for immediate treatment such as cuts, wounds and small accidents. The main objective of these schemes is to support IWWs for an easy access to medical services, minimising unhygienic risks and improving their general living environment.

Issue of ID card: After the decision from the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development the project encountered difficulties to issue ID cards from the municipalities as a social protection for IWWs. The project helped IWWs to register their own association with the government of Nepal, successfully registering SASAJHA as the first waste pickers association in Nepal. ID cards are now through SASAJHA, as the recognised representative body for waste picking occupation. Issuing the IDs in this way will give respect and recognition to IWWs and at the same time it will strengthen the informal waste sector system. The project has issued 181 IWWs with an ID cards through SASAJHA during the reporting period.  Similarly, the project is coordinating with the private waste sector to provide IWWs with authorisation for doorstep waste collection, which will again recognise IWWs and raise awareness that they are decent workers, which in turn will increase their self-esteem.

MFI/Cooperative: The project helped waste workers to launch the first informal waste workers cooperative; Sanyukta Safai Jagaran Saving and Credit Co-operative Ltd. in Nepal. The cooperative is registered in Divisional Co-operative Office (Reg. no. 4149) in Kathmandu in March 2013. The major objective of the co-operative formation is to support IWWs livelihood by providing easy access to finance. The cooperatives will allow waste workers to benefit from the value they add and become the owners of viable SWM businesses.  The project approach is to provide business and technical skills to the cooperative members so they can run their collection and processing systems more efficiently. The project has trained one female member from IWWs groups to implement the Co-operative activities on regular basis. Leadership training has also been provided to IWWs for effective mobilisation of savings and to present details about the current Co-operative’s bank balance of cooperative transparency and to become more proactive. In total 181 members (86 Male and 95 female) are associated with the Co-operative and are saving on regular basis. The project aims to include all IWWs from different groups under the umbrella of Co-operative for long term sustainability. The total savings amount deposited to date is NPR. 3,33,622.00 (£2,314), out of which a loan has been provided of NPR. 2,27,000.00 (£1,574), and loan repaid amount of NPR. 59,500.00 (£412). The formation of waste workers Co-operative attempts to disrupt the “vicious circle of poverty” and improve their livelihoods.

Safety Net: The objective of this scheme is to prevent IWWs, from shocks and poverty of falling below a certain poverty level, with social assistance for very poor beneficiaries.  Under this scheme the project supported two IWWs suffering from a problem with their gall bladder and urethra by providing for their immediate surgery.

Provide enterprise and skill development training with appropriate pedagogy for neo-literate and women workers to operate small scale enterprises

The project has been providing different enterprises training to IWWs, for example, a package of Start & Improve Your Business (SIYB) training for potential candidates from IWWs’ groups. The enterprise development training has focused on cultivating the entrepreneurship character, providing an understanding of the basic concept of business and its importance, the ability to run an established business, selection of appropriate enterprises, basic marketing concept, cost analysis and business plan preparation. To date, the project had provided entrepreneurship development training to 173 IWWs (112 (65%) male and 61 (35%) female). During the training, more than 15 enterprises has been identified and a business plans have been prepared for scrap collection centre, bio-briquette making, second hand shop, plastic bottle pressing, cotton making, waste cloth

collecting, plastic product making, plastic tearing, sack production, big collection centre, rickshaw support, and compost making. During the reporting period a total of 67 IWWs participated, 52 of whom where female, and received skill trainings.

Conduct informal education for IWWs to enhance self-esteem regarding their occupation

The project is continuing this activity at five different CRCs within Kathmandu Valley for trust building, knowledge enhancement, awareness raising and behaviour changing of the IWWs in collaboration with community school and local club to ensure sustainability. Experienced non-formal education instructor conducted the course. The overall objective of this activity is to support IWWs adults and children, either dropouts from the school or adults lacking practical skills essential for securing a viable livelihood. Aims of this activity as below:

To create sustainable learning opportunities which develops IWWs empowerment and socio economic inclusion;

To provide livelihood/vocational skills in order to enhance IWWs’ employment opportunities;

To raise awareness in behaviour change and health concerns for better livelihood; To provide vulnerable and marginalised waste workers with literacy and

entrepreneurial skills to support a marketable livelihood;To date, 89 IWWs are regularly benefitting from non-formal education.

Conduct Behavioural Change Campaigns (BCC) targeting IWWs and the society

During this reporting period, the project has continued conducting various BCC events to raise awareness on IWWs high risk behaviours and assisting them in adopting better behaviour. The major BCC campaigns involving key government organisations, civil society, concerned stakeholders, municipal representatives to provide respect to IWWs involved in the SWM and to increase the level of social awareness regarding their contribution

were successfully organised by the project. Similarly, on-going campaigns such as health camp, psychosocial counselling, OSH awareness campaigns, group management training have also been effectively conducted amongst the group. The main objective of BCC events is to manage the behaviour of IWWs and proactively develop relationship among IWWs, public and other key stakeholders for social recognition and better opportunity. The project also conducted behaviour change workshop to the staffs of municipal waste workers from different municipalities to build a strong relationship with IWWs as they both work in the same sector. The project has produced a Public Service Announcements (video Jingle) in social recognition of IWWs, broadcasted on popular televisions like Kantipur, Nepal television, Avenues, local Channels of the municipalities, The video-jingle is also being broadcasted on the screen of the public transport system (Micro and Sajha Buses) for widening the behaviour change social message. The project has also placed 16 hoarding boards around Kathmandu, with behaviour change social messages, in coordination with the municipalities of Kathmandu Valley.

The project has also publicised the social message in several popular newspapers and magazines; like Kantipur, the Himalayan Times, Republica, Nepali Times, Himal Khabarpatrica, Spotlight, local news bulletin and newsletter of few organisations working in SWM sector and produced communication material like posters, stickers and flyers. The communication material has been distributed to relevant stakeholders and municipalities to win the social respect of IWWs in SWM sector. Likewise, project has been organising street dramas with the objective of raising awareness of the public about role of IWWs in SWM and to change their attitude to respect and recognition. Additional campaigns are planned for all targeted groups in the coming year. A video documentary using renowned artists MAHA Jodi from MAHA sanchar has been produced. The documentary will be aired soon to serve as a powerful public awareness episode of IWWs’ contribution in the society to change the public’s perception of IWWs. The Behaviour campaign has also been shared in the web site of the Globalrec. http://globalrec.org/newsletter/struggles-and-victories-waste-pickers-on-the-frontline-march-april-2013/

Conduct awareness raising campaigns on occupational safety and health of IWWs

The project has held several awareness raising events for IWWs on better health condition such as cleaning campaign, hand washing campaigns and by organising inter school poem, essay, and paintings competitions amongst IWWs children focusing on health and safety issues. The project have also produced flip charts and OSH training manual focusing on water sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and handling hazardous waste, mainly medical and

chemicals. As part of this awareness raising, the project has developed a video documentary on how to minimise the health risks of IWWs and on the importance and benefits of using safety equipment while working on waste. The project team has been providing training to all groups of IWWs through the training manual and dissemination of video documentary. Jointly, with Kathmandu Metropolitian City, a knowledge product in Occupation Safety and Health (OSH) has been developed to capacitate waste workers in how to reducing health risks.

Under this activity the project has also supported a number of scrap centres by providing water and sanitation to improve IWWs’ access to basic needs and to minimise risk of infecton. The project has been conducting awareness raising campaigns on occupational safety and health to minimise health risks associated with the waste collecting occupation. For effectiveness, the project has planned different campaigns in the third year to generate awareness.

Provide basic safety equipment and training to IWWs for preventative measures

The project has provided basic safety equipment (like Rainboots/Shoes, gloves, masks, raincoats, wind cheeters with trousers and wrapper, aprons, caps etc.) for 1976 IWWs to date for use while carrying out waste picking activities. The project is also distributing safety equipments, on cost share basis to key stakeholders like municipalities, SWAMA (SWM Association) and NGO-FEC Federation of Environment Conservation Nepal for IWWs, who are directly exposed when waste collecting and transferring. The objective of distributing safety equipment is to awareness among waste workers and

organisations employing waste workers of the importance of safety gear and its long term benefits to improve and create a healthy working environment. The project is also providing training on using safe waste practices to reduce health risk of IWWs. The project will continue regular monitoring of the use of safety equipments by IWWs and distribution of safety equipment will be continued in the third year to the target groups.

Case Stories:

Improved Access to Good health

Child Education: From Waste Picking to Education

Mundrika Mandal, 45, is a migrant from India and lives with his family in an urban slum of Kathmandu. He works as an informal waste collector to earn his living. By working throughout the day, Mundrika earned NPR 3,000 to 7,000 (£21-£48_ per month, most of which was used to meet basic needs, with the rest sent to his home in India. He had to bear the economic burden of his and his family member’s poor health. The income earned was not sufficient for the family to receive proper health facilities.

But things have changed for Mundrika and his family after the implementation of PRISM project in his community. He is more aware of the safety measures that have to be taken while working so as to remain safe from various diseases. T he project has provided safety equipment like a mask, cap, boots, and apron which reduce the risk health hazards while working in waste. Apart from that, the project has also made available free health access facilities for all IWWs and their families, of which Mundrika is benefiting. “I used to get ill frequently but never consulted doctors. After the intervention of PRISM project, we formed a group and started accessing health services, " Mundrika adds, "after getting the health access, I was diagnosed with kidney problem so I have been saving money for an operation which is due. I have realised it is important to have regular check-ups. This health facility has been

Empowerment Through Saving

…..“I love to go to school and my aim is to be a mathematics teacher. I would like to thank the PRISM project for supporting me for education”, says Chadani Kumari, 12), daughter of Suresh Podar, IWWs member from Bhelukhel Fohor Byawasthapan Group. “I belong to a very poor family. To fulfil our family’s basic needs, I support my parents by waste picking during early morning and in school holidays as I am also a responsible person in the family. My day begins early morning from 5. 30 - 7: 00 am and I go for waste picking every day. I sell the collection to the scrap dealer nearby and come home by 8.00am with money which we use for our livelihood. I earn monthly Nepalese rupee 700 to 800 (£5-6). I go to school from 10.00 am till 3.30 pm.

Before I used to go waste picking after school but after encouragement and counselling from the PRISM project, nowadays, in the evening after school, I do homework and have joined NFE (non-formal) classes at CRC and help my mother with the household tasks, taking care of my two younger siblings. I want to do something better my life!”

Shanti Tamang segregates waste for which she gets NPR 200 (£1.40) per day. Working on a minimum daily wage, the income was never enough and she had to face problems, especially when a significant amount of money was required for something. “My elder daughter wanted to study staff nursing. As I did not have any savings, I borrowed some NPR 40,000 (£279) from friends and family to pay for her admission fees,” shared Shanti. While borrowing money from unofficial sources, IWWs have to face high interest rates. Shanti had never learned to save money for her future. “It is difficult to save money when not earning is not much.” said Shanti. But despite the challenges, Shanti today is leading a savings group in her community. In 2012, with the help of the PRISM project, Shanti and her co-workers formed a women’s group. The project introduced savings mobilisation classes and group management training through which the group understood the importance of savings. “At first we were not aware of the benefits of saving and used the money within the group during our personal financial emergencies. Now we can also earn from the savings through lending.” she says. The group has thirty seven members and is called Hamro Mahila Samuha, Teku. Shanti feels more empowered after receiving training in leadership through the same project. She also feels financially secure and does not need to borrow money from others. As the president of the group, she says that she will try her best to encourage more people to join and sustain Hamro Mahila Samuha.

Safety Net: Small Support for Great Impact

Kanchi Tamang, 52, is a waste segregator who tears plastic at Sundarighat, Lalitpur. She has been taking care of her five children as a single mother since her husband passed away nine years ago. This work provides her NPR 200 (£1.40) per day. The project has been supporting IWWs’ groups to access free health check-ups and health insurance schemes. Many waste workers, like Kanchi, have been able to opt for health check-up facility after the introduction of this scheme, due to which they have been able to diagnose the diseases they have and carry out necessary treatment. Many IWWs were diagnosed with diseases like of chronic cholecysytitis (gall bladder inflammation) with cholelinthesis. Kanchi too was suffering from the same disease. The project provided her with a link to National Hospital and Cancer Research centre with a 50% subsidy on total expenses as per the health insurance scheme. The project team also provided support to Kanchi for an operation under safety net schemes as a result of which now she has recovered.

……"I got new life with the support of PRISM.  It was impossible to get treatment with my own expenses. I am very happy with the progress of my health as I am recovering quickly.” - Kanchi Tamang.

Confident and Skilled Bimala

Bimala Bakhati, 18, lives in Teku, Kathmandu. She works in the sector of informal waste management and was ashamed of her profession. She was shy, had very little self-confidence and was sceptical about a better future.

But Bimala is a changed person now. She has confidence and skill. This became possible after she attended training on entrepreneurship and skill development organised by the PRISM project for waste workers like Bimala to help improve their livelihoods. Though little reluctant in the beginning, after attending the training and interaction with PRISM project staff, she utilised the opportunity to its maximum.

In the skills development training she learnt to produce handicrafts out of waste materials like plastic. “I plan to make some money with this new skill. This will not take a huge starting capital to set up a business. ” She envisions herself owning a business in a couple of years’ time which will make her financially independent.

“I am grateful to the activities of PRISM project as I am a changed person and I feel proud that I am contributing to manage the waste of our city.” she says proudly.

Entrepreneur in the Making: Panna Lal Poddar

Proud to be a “Waste Picker”

Panna Lal is a door-to-door waste collector who collects household wastes in his rickshaw. In return for his service, he gets NPR 200 to 300 (£1.40 - £2.00) every month from each household. However, there are times when people refuse to pay on time and it affects his family income. What he earned was just enough to make the ends meet. As he did not have any savings, it was very difficult for the family at the time of crisis.

To address such issue of the waste workers, the PRISM project provided training on savings and entrepreneurship to a group of waste workers. Panna and his friends learnt the importance of saving and to develop business plans. Panna shares, “We are saving NPR 300 (£2) every month after the training.” As a treasurer of the group he has already collected around NPR 46500 (£324)from 13 members of the group. “There are many opportunities in this occupation, but we have not been able to expand and generate more money from it,” Panna adds. The project also provided one rickshaw to Panna to help increase his coverage of households and generate more income. Today, he owns two rickshaws and has hired two people to collect the waste. This has increased his income and provided him economic safety.

Practice of Safety Equipment: Working in Waste

Waste picking is an important, but unrecognised part of the SWM sector. “I am a waste picker and I have been working as a waste picker since 20 years. My livelihood starts early in the morning from the neighbourhood where people are either asleep or on their way to work. After PRISM project’s intervention, I am regularly taking Non Formal Education every day from 8.00am till 10: 00pm in parallel with my job as a waste picker. Before people in our surrounding area use to call us “KHATE” (an abuse word) and shout to us when we go to waste picking. The public do see waste picking as one of the most dangerous and humiliating profession, we always felt very frustrated about the job we were doing. At present, after PRISM we proudly say that …“I AM A WASTE PICKER”. We have recognised our role and contribution in solid waste management sector. People’s perception towards us in our community has slightly changed after the different behaviour change campaigns PRISM conducted. Nowadays the public call us “Dai” and “Bhai” (brother). I will proudly continue working as a waste picker and will also continue sending children to school for education.” Lalu Podar, 30, is an active group member from Bhelukhel Fohor Byawasthapan Samuha.

“We are very happy and are using safety equipment provided by PRISM while working in waste. It gives us protection and helps to minimise health risks. We do collect hazardous waste with gloves and boots now. All group members would like to thank the PRISM project for capacitating us in health and safety concerns for our better and healthy lives. Additionally, the safety uniform has given us a dignity in our profession. Even police, who used to harass us before, allow us to enter the community for waste picking with a uniform nowadays. As a waste worker we are now aware about the advantage of using safety equipment. After the project completion we will purchase and use the equipment as a protective tool.” Maile Lama, 24, member from Nawasmiriti Sundarighat Group.