Back to school: From rags to school— Chintan’s efforts win global award

However,with the school authorities asking him for various documents and informing him that language might pose a barrier for him,it was the end of his school days. Chhabikul’s discouraged father engaged him in his waste picking business. A year later,the father-son duo were spotted on the streets by workers of Chintan,an NGO working on environment issues,especially waste-picking.

Conversations with the boy revealed that although he wanted to study,he could do so only in the afternoon,after finishing work . With the support of his father,Chhabikul started attending a school run by an NGO in 2006. He was later admitted to a government primary school in Pant Nagar.

Chhabikul is one of the many kids who owes his education to the efforts of Chintan.

His story highlights the involvement of children in the waste-picking business and the identity crisis faced by thousands of ragpickers in the city,most of whom have migrated from various parts of the country.

Since 1999,Chintan has been working with waste pickers by undertaking various recycling projects and programmes to promote education in this community.

Recognising these efforts,the United Nations ,through its Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and in partnership with BMW awarded the third prize at the United Nations-BMW Intercultural Award prize to Chintan.

The award ceremony took place at Vienna on February 26 and was attended by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Apart from a sum of $15000,Chintan will also receive technical assistance for one year.

Bharati Chaturvedi,Director,Chintan expressed gratitude “not only to waste pickers,but the migrants whose contributions make our urban experience richer”.

The award which “aims to identify the most innovative grassroots projects that encourage intercultural exchange around the world”,received over 500 applications from 92 countries.

“Most waste-pickers are migrants from states like West Bengal and Assam. Apart from a sense of non-acceptance that the job entails,the move to the city creates a strong sense of alienation among them. We work with them to ensure that they get Aadhaar cards or ration cards. It gives them some kind of identity and sense of belonging,” an employee at Chintan said.

The NGO has undertaken a detailed analysis of the waste recycling sector,waste management policies,waste-to-energy plants and their social impact on waste pickers.

The study by Chintan shows how families will be forced to engage more members in waste-picking with the result that children will end of spending less time on education – some might even drop out of school in order to pick waste.

“The first impact of setting up of waste-to-energy plants in Delhi was seen on children. The drop out rate in schools have increased,” the employee said.