Alternative livelihoods for 500 ragpicker families

Nek, 42 years old is an enterprising woman at Topsia. She has a family of 7. All the members of the family live together beside the Topsia canal side (sewage).

Her elder daughter got married 2 years ago. Now her elder son is working in a chappal factory and contribute a small amount to the family. Another daughter cuts chappal fita (flip flops) at home and she earns Rs.50 to 60 (US$ 0.62 to US$ 0.75) per day.

8 years ago, Nek and her husband are working together at their tailoring shop. They earn around Rs.200 to 300 (US$ 2.5 to US$ 3.75) per day. But this income is not enough for running the household expenses. Sometimes the family goes to sleep without food.

On December 2017, Tiljala shed had given a business grant of Rs.20,000 (US$ 250) for supporting their business through Alternative livelihood program. She bought a sewing and inter-lock machine. Now her earning has jump from Rs 200 (US$ 2.5) to Rs 600 (US$ 7.5) per day. She is able to take bulk orders because of the high efficiency of the machine and hence she is expecting bigger profits in the days to come.

In 2019, she again took a second grant of Rs 30,000 (US$ 375) to further expand her business. With this money, she purchased an additional tailoring material to help fulfil more orders. With her hard work and smart investments, Nek is on a path to improving her family's financial stability and ensuring a brighter future for her children.

As of 2024, Nek has faced significant challenges due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. During the lockdown, her business struggled, leading to a substantial drop in her income. Despite her resilient efforts, the reduced earnings made it difficult to support her family and continue developing her tailoring business.

However, after navigating through many hardships, Nek has seen a steady increase in her income in recent months. Her determination and adaptability in the face of adversity have gradually paid off, and her family is experiencing renewed happiness as their financial situation improves. The growth in her business has provided a sense of stability and hope for better days ahead.

Now, with her sights set on a brighter future, Nek has a new aspiration: she desires to purchase a new flat priced at Rs 300,000 (US$ 3750). This move would allow her to relocate from their current makeshift accommodation (which is like a hut) into a more secure and comfortable living space with her family.

Owning a flat would not only improve their quality of life but also serve as a testament to Nek’s hard work, perseverance, and commitment to uplifting her family's circumstances. As she continues to focus on expanding her business and increasing her earnings, Nek remains hopeful and determined to achieve this goal for her family.

Nek’s story motivates us that with hard work, focus and determination one can achieve their goal in life.

Sajida, 48, a resident of the Topsia Canal side settlements (sewage- the city waste water flows beside the settlement) has set up a small general store inside the community. Her daughter Sonam is a student of Class 12 and will be completing her school finals next year. Sajida, has a gastric ulcer problem but despite that she is a determined lady. Her husband is very sick and has multiple health issues and cannot work. A sum of money also goes for the treatment of her husband every month.

She took a business grant of Rs.30,000 (US$ 375) from the organisation to set up her business. During the lockdown the business suffered badly. She felt the heat and thought that all the capital seed money will go away including the savings in the lockdown to cover the basic expenses of her family, but Tiljala SHED came to the rescue and extended full support through their multi interventions and ensured the family capital seed money is not spent.

Now, after the lockdown and Covid, the shop is doing quite well. She now earns a small amount of Rs.350 (US$ 4.375)- Rs.400 (US $ 5) on a daily basis from her shop. Her daughter Sonam is a first-generation learner and will be the first one to complete the school and enter into College. Sajida is very happy to see a first female learner in her family. She is a strong advocate for girls education. With Tiljala SHED grant, she was able to start her own venture. She expects to increase the revenue by increasing more number of items in her shop. The sales go up during many festivals and on weekends. 

This unique program has supported many womenpreneurs and have given them financial freedom. It all happened with the funds raised through GlobalGiving. It is unthinkable that several women staying in this narrow stretch beside the sewage is on a mission to become independent and many are already leading the way with their inspired stories. These women are the real life heroes and it is bringing a change in these communities.

Thank you....to all those who belived in our mission. Please help us to transform more such lives and make a difference in these local communities which were once famous for criminal activities and now getting the spotlight with insipiring stories like Sajida. The community is now changing and the crime graph has drastically came down which shows that more education and livelihood opportunities will bring the crime graph down.