Human Cannot Take Precedence Over the Environment
New trees grow from dead leaves
The area of our work is economic and environment safety for which we are working with the oppressed transgender waste collector where we see a huge intersectionality between the gender identity and the environment, these group of waste collector are been left out, and are never considered for their work, however they continuously do the work of safeguarding the environment by segregation of the non-biodegradable waste.
This is also their only source of income, on which their entire family survive. Being doubly oppressed and underprivileged specially in terms of education, language, knowledge, caste deprive them from receiving any kind of support, facilities and aid even from the state. They always live in an insecurity of their sustainable livelihood.
The waste collector faces multiple health issues because of the unhygienic work place with no precautions or protection, they inhale harmful methane gas exposed from the waste. Coming in direct contact with the waste they continuously suffer from viral infection, diarrhoea etc.
We in urban society use plastic waste and pollute the environment where in contrary these waste collectors are real environmentalist; they clean our waste but in return they themselves are been considered as waste. Most of the anglophonic people in the community are trying to pick up the environment crisis issue, but these waste collectors are organically doing the implementation of the work. Environment safety is not possible without the field work, that is what we believe and follow the agenda to create a network within the grassroots neglected working class and waste picker community to be united. There is a recognised dumping ground at Dhaba Kolkata and where we are trying to develop more ways to reduce environment crisis and simultaneously focus on economic development of the grassroots waste picker and organic farming community.
We have formed 6 SHGs for these group of people, along with giving them training on health issues and safety measures that one should follow while being on such an unhygienic place.
Furthermore, we have provided with basic gov aid services like ration card, health card etc.
As these waste collectors are transgender and receiving a transgender certificate is equally important for them. Many have received one and other are in process. This also raised a concern to do a training on gender sex and sexuality for the waste collector, as like others they also have to face multiple oppression and ostracisation in the society.
Taring on law and their basic human rights were also provided.
Handicraft training with the non-biodegradable waste, where the waste collector can make a sellable product for their livelihood and supporting the senior waste collector to do organic farming is also an upliftment to their economic condition.
Sundarbans Island is the guard of the city and ‘Samabhabona’ is keen on protecting these islands by mangroves plantation as any threat to these islands will directly bring flood and Kolkata will be the first city to go under water in times.
Journey to achieve a bigger change is always complex by these small steps can make a huge change in a long run.