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- The Association of Ragpickers
The Association of Ragpickers
Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Primary information
- Year formed
- 1999
- Registered in
- 2000
- Formally registered
- On
- Language
- Bangla, English, Hindi, Urdu
- Number of groups
- 11
- Number of members
- 408
- Type of members
- Members are waste pickers
- Occupation of members
- Scrap dealers, Waste collectors, Waste pickers
- Type of Organization
- Community based organization
- Organizational Reach
- Local
- Workplace of members
- Open, Slums, Street
- Membership
- No
- Organization Structure
- There is an Executive Committee, constituted with the participation of waste-pickers: President, Secretary, Treasurers. The organization is spread across 5 areas, with sub-committee in each of the areas. Waste-pickers are members of the sub-committee.
- Education and training
- Business & project management, Leadership training, Learning exchange, Literacy & school, Mobilization, Rights & duties, Risks & health, Waste management
- Partnering organizations
- Tiljala Shed
- Affiliations
- Aiw
- Funding
- Membership fees, Self funded
- Internal elections
- Every 5 years
- Women composition
- 60,5% 161
Social networking sites
Benefits
- Member benefits
- Child assistance programmes, Clean & healthy environment, Education programmes, Id cards, Savings or credit scheme, Social & pension benefits, Training & advocacy
- Safety & Technology
- Safety boots
Services
- What kind of relationship exists with the municipality?
- None
- How is the relationship with the municipality?
- Conflictual and/or problematic
- Types of materials
- Bones, Bottles, Cans, Electronic waste, Glass, Metals, Paper and cardboard, Plastic, Plastics, Shoe soles
- Are they selling to middlemen?
- Yes
- Activities
- Buying materials, Cleaning, Collection of recyclables, Sensitization of locals, Sorting waste, Training and capacity building, Waste collection, Waste sorting
- Challenges to access waste
- Availability of waste, Contamination from waste, Exploitation, Foul smell & contamination from waste, Harassment from authorities, Lack of education & training, Lack of infrastructure & resources, Lack of recognition, Lack of unity between organizations, Price fluctuations of waste, Transportation
Complementary Information
- Information source
- The information was filled by Ayesha Bibi and submitted to the Alliance of Indian Wastepickers
Comments / Narrative
The Association of Ragpickers (ARP) of Kolkata is an autonomous organization run by waste-pickers with the support of Tiljala SHED. The waste-pickers are in executive position. The organization has its own bank account. The members are engaged in waste collection. The organizing activities have helped in increasing the income of waste-pickers. The organization members aka waste-pickers meet regularly to discuss the issues of issuance of occupational identity cards, festivals planning, health clinics and access to social entitlements. Thanks to the organizing effort, the waste-pickers have been enrolled in the State-Assisted Scheme of Provident Fund for Unorganized Workers (SASPUW). The organization is fighting for rights and entitlements for waste-pickers.