Safai Sena

Chintan incubated ‘Safai Sena’ to empower waste workers to set up their own organisation for self-representation. Started in 2001 and registered in 2009, today it is one of the largest waste picker organizations with over 12,000 members including waste pickers, doorstep waste collectors, itinerant and other small aggregators (previously waste workers). Safai Sena’s vision is that adult waste handlers must be able to upgrade to green jobs; apart from being good for the environment, their work should be safe, respected and recognised with clean working conditions. Safai Sena is run by waste workers themselves. Chintan funds the coordinator salary, conducts trainings, attends community meetings and builds capacity on new policies, laws & opportunities, including new partnerships, such that waste workers can advocate for themselves.