Support waste workers - India’s most underrepresented frontline workers

India is amidst a humanitarian crisis as it faces a devastating second wave of COVID-19. Some communities are more vulnerable than others and bear a disproportional brunt of the pandemic as they lack basic essential services such as healthcare, food, and social entitlements. Waste workers colonies in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh not only face disruption in livelihoods as recycler operations slow down but also are resource-less and under-prepared to take on the debilitating second wave. These waste-workers colonies need proactive assistance around finances, food and ration, safety and hygiene, and medical awareness!

The fundraiser is led by Navya Disha Trust and supported by Yunus Social Business Fund Bengaluru and Waste Ventures India.

Navya Disha is a registered charitable trust that works with communities in the areas of water safety, sanitation, education, and livelihoods by enhancing their capacities to lead a quality life 

Yunus Social Business Fund Bengaluru is an impact investment fund committed to fund and support businesses that are solving human problems.

About Waste Ventures India is a waste management social enterprise that is moving India's solid waste sector to models that are simultaneously environmentally and financially sustainable

This fundraiser aims to provide assistance to waste workers and their families on the following areas:

1. Food and ration kits: Each kit contains rice, wheat flour, pulses, sugar, salt, tea, oil, and basic spices - whole kit costing around INR 1400
2. Personal healthcare and safety kit: Each kit covers basic medicines and vitamins, sanitizers, face masks, sanitary products, childcare products, and doctor consultation costs
3. Medical awareness: Driving community awareness around at-home care for COVID+ members and overall hygiene of the family
4. Vaccination awareness: Aiding process of vaccination for family members through awareness campaigns and assistance through the process
5. Medical care and equipment: Facilitating teleconsultations with doctors for early diagnosis and care. Additionally, the provision of basic equipment for oxygen such as cylinders and concentrators can help stabilise severe symptoms until hospital beds are sourced. The funds also aim to cover costs of hospitalisation for severe cases.

Through this fundraiser, we want to ensure that we are prepared to safeguard waste workers and their families, through the healthcare and economic crisis that the second wave will create. Our intended impact is below:

1. Families have food and nutritional security through lockdown and community spread phases
2. Families that have COVID+ members are able to access doctors and seek on-time medical assistance thereby reducing instances of hospitalization
3. Families are able to access oxygen and ventilator equipment that will help in reducing the severity of COVID symptoms
4. Families are able to effectively get vaccinated against COVID-19 enabling them to carry on the amazing impact they provide to society through their work with a lower risk of COVID