INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCE OF WASTE PICKERS

The International Alliance of Waste Pickers is a union of waste picker organizations representing more than 460,000 workers across 34 countries
Supported by Logo WIEGO

Kabad Se Jugad


There is a rose in Seemapuri

Seemapuri in north east Delhi is one of many hubs where waste pickers (kabadiwala) bring, sort, bale and ship waste resources.

Since more than one year now a start up of all women waste workers has been crafting one of a kind flowers and other gift items. The creative process is 100% reuse down to the packaging being used for export shipping!

Members of Kabad se Jugad making art from recyclable materials. Photo credit: Rolando Politi.

Women’s waste picker cooperative in New Delhi transforms recyclables into art

In March of this year, Kabad Se Jugad, a women’s cooperative that makes arts and crafts out of recyclable materials launched in the Seemapuri neighborhood of New Delhi. Before forming the cooperative, members survived by collecting waste from the surrounding neighborhoods. In partnership with New York-based artist, Rolando Politi, also known as Recycle and Pray, these waste pickers are transforming these materials into objects and art, “relying on inspiration and creativity (in Hindi: jugad) to guide our production process” and “bringing our talent of improvising from waste to the wider world.”