SAAMUHIKA SHAKTI
In Solidarity with Waste Pickers
Saamuhika Shakti is a collective impact initiative, the first of its kind in India, where multiple implementing organisations have joined forces to enable informal waste pickers in Bengaluru to have greater agency to lead secure and dignified lives, with a specific focus on gender and equity.

This project is initiated and supported by the H&M Foundation, and Sattva Consulting serves as the backbone.
THE POWER
OF THE COLLECTIVE
It is fascinating what the human will can achieve if it sets its heart to something. When we amplify this by getting our collective energies together in a synchronised manner, doors of opportunities open.

The informal waste-picker community in Bengaluru, despite its challenges with low income, gender inequality, red tape, financial illiteracy and lack of education, is rising together with concerted effort that is focussed on their key needs – safety and dignity. Being informally engaged in waste collection and segregation, the fight for what seems basic, is a battle fought everyday.
WHAT IS
COLLECTIVE IMPACT METHODOLOGY
Solving multi-dimensional social problems within complex socio-economic-political systems needs an approach that works with multiple points of focus, in synergy. Concerted action creates a holistic impact.
Collective Impact Methodology is a highly structured collaborative model where a diverse group of actors come together in partnerships to solve complex social challenges. Their individual strengths, experiences, and resources are then channelled collectively towards the mutual goals of the initiative.
MANY ORGANISATIONS
ONE AMBITION
HOW WE DO IT
All partners at Saamuhika Shakti and the informal waste picker community in Bengaluru have been working together since inception, addressing different aspects of the problem areas collectively, and creating effective change that can lead to amplified impact.

The participatory nature of the support helps the community feel more optimistic towards the future and has given them the confidence to explore pathways to live dignified and secure lives.

ALTERNATIVE LIVELIHOOD OPTIONS

A rise in opportunities with vocational training, life skills, financial literacy programs, and entrepreneurship support.

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Path to alternative livelihoods

CREATING SUPPORT SYSTEMS

Raised awareness about substance abuse and domestic violence helps create support systems for those impacted.

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Safe spaces for waste pickers’ kids

ACCESS TO GOVERNMENT SCHEMES

Waste pickers and families get support when they apply for and access social security schemes and benefits such as housing and loans.

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Climate-proofing informal settlements

SAFETY AND
EQUIPMENT

Innovative support from partners in equipment design improves working conditions for waste pickers.

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Making PPE work for waste pickers

PERCEPTION
CHANGE

Improved confidence among waste pickers and mindset shift in Bengaluru’s general population to respect and value waste picking.

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About Bengaluru's Invaluables

ACCESS TO WASH

Waster pickers’ homes get assured access to water and sanitation facilities - toilets, clean drinking water.

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About building toilets for all

QUALITY EDUCATION

Waste pickers’ children get access to valuable learning resources and education.

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Work in Anganwadis and Schools

GENDER AT HEART

Specific focus on ensuring that women, girls and other vulnerable groups have equitable access to all the economic and social outcomes of the programmes.

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How our partners keep gender at heart

ALTERNATIVE LIVELIHOOD OPTIONS

A rise in opportunities with vocational training, life skills, financial literacy programs, and entrepreneurship support.

LEARN MORE

Path to alternative livelihoods

CREATING SUPPORT SYSTEMS

Raised awareness about substance abuse and domestic violence helps create support systems for those impacted.

LEARN MORE

Safe spaces for waste pickers’ kids

ACCESS TO GOVERNMENT SCHEMES

Waste pickers and families get support when they apply for and access social security schemes and benefits such as housing and loans.

LEARN MORE

Climate-proofing informal settlements

SAFETY AND
EQUIPMENT

Innovative support from partners in equipment design improves working conditions for waste pickers.

LEARN MORE

Making PPE work for waste pickers

PERCEPTION
CHANGE

Improved confidence among waste pickers and mindset shift in Bengaluru’s general population to respect and value waste picking.

LEARN MORE

About Bengaluru's Invaluables

ACCESS TO WASH

Waster pickers’ homes get assured access to water and sanitation facilities - toilets, clean drinking water.

LEARN MORE

About building toilets for all

QUALITY EDUCATION

Waste pickers’ children get access to valuable learning resources and education.

LEARN MORE

Work in Anganwadis and Schools

GENDER AT HEART

Specific focus on ensuring that women, girls and other vulnerable groups have equitable access to all the economic and social outcomes of the programmes.

LEARN MORE

How our partners keep gender at heart

COLLECTIVE
success stories
COLLECTIVE
strength of women
THE FORMATION OF
SELF HELP GROUPS
When women rise, their families rise with them. Their financial literacy and independence are great drivers for change. In Banashankari, Saamuhika Shakti enabled women to form self-help groups (SHGs), create bank accounts and build a savings practice. These SHGs are also eligible to become part of the National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM) through which the women get several government benefits. In Banashankari, 10 such SHGs came together to form an Area Level Federation - making them eligible for greater benefits under the NULM. Through this, the women in the community are now gaining confidence and have started their own businesses as a part of the micro entrepreneurship programme.
COLLECTIVE
growth
THE STORY OF
KUMUDHA
Kumudha is a dry waste collection centre (DWCC) operator in Bengaluru. The savings from a self-help group (SHG) that she and her employees are members of partly funded the setting up of the DWCC. She says she wants to employ more women, and her dream is to help them develop the courage to learn the skills to open similar centres of their own and become entrepreneurs like her.
READ MORE: THE ENTREPRENEURS IN THE COMMUNITY
COLLECTIVE
future
What agency looks
like in real life
Among Saamuhika Shakti’s work with the informal waste pickers is the goal to ensure the community’s  kids have access to education, know about their rights, and have the agency to create possibilities where none existed before. One way to nurture this is by providing children a safe space to voice their opinions and needs in various ways. In public schools where Saamuhika Shakti partners work, the students drop in notes about things they need or want in their school into a 'Suggestion Box' managed by the students themselves. The notes are opened monthly and discussed with teachers. Children have so far posted letters asking for better study tables, notebooks and even a playground. And in one neighbourhood, wishes are coming true, with authorities identifying and building a small playground for the children.
COLLECTIVE
creativity
The Button
Story
Buttons partly made from plastic waste, collected by informal waste pickers in Bengaluru with whom Saamuhika Shakti works, are now featured on H&M garments made in India and sold worldwide. These buttons are traceable down to the source of the waste along with names of the workers, social security, salaries, and working conditions at the aggregation centre.
COLLECTIVE
safety
building SAFE toilets for the women in the community
In the absence of toilets, women in the community needed to travel by bus, pay a significant part of their wages to use a toilet -  leading to undignified remarks and safety issues. With the work of Saamuhika Shakti partner WaterAid, many waste-picker communities have been able to build toilets and manage their maintenance, creating safe, clean spaces for all. Here’s the story of the difference being felt by one such community.
READ MORE
COLLECTIVE
language
Waste Pickers
Dictionary
How do the people who collect, sort and find value in your waste define the terms used to talk about waste? With Saamuhika Shakti partner Hasiru Dala’s help, waste pickers from across Karnataka documented their understanding of some important terms related to waste management in their own words.
COLLECTIVE
influence
Aiyyo Shraddha’s
‘Eh Whattya’ video
Social media influencers are great partners when it comes to creating conversations that matter on the internet. As thought leaders followed by many, they are able to plant the seeds of change in perception of waste pickers, orchestrated by partner BBC Media Action.
COLLECTIVE
conversations
Invaluable Recyclers
talk about their work
Our partners BBC Media Action, created a chat show series with actress Bhoomi Shetty and recyclers from Bengaluru's informal waste picker community, enabling a discovery and gratefulness for what these invaluable recyclers do, how they live and how citizens can join them in their work.
LESSONS
FROM THE COLLECTIVE
For a collective to work coherently towards a common goal, it requires a tremendous amount of planning, understanding, clear communication as well as holding space for different work cultures. At Saamuhika Shakti, there is constant learning from each other, iterations and adjustments are made, as challenges and resources emerge.
01.
Leverage Collective Impact
02.
Center the community
03.
Prepare for the backbone’s role to diminish
04.
Regular, clear communication
05.
Gender Focus
06.
Early design inputs from evaluation agencies
07.
Start with a backbone organisation in place
08.
⁠Build collaboration early on
09.
Accountability = Sustainable Action
10.
Build and nurture trust
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VOICES FROM THE COMMUNITY
Even though I have not spoken to you about this face-to-face, people around you talk about your achievements. When I think of these achievements, I feel very proud of you. From now on, I am going to use my education and technology to take your work forward. Thank you, Pa!
MASOOD
DRY WASTE COLLECTION CENTRE OPERATOR’S SON
We are like small drops of water that have come together to form this ocean that will wipe away all the ills, dirt and troubles from our community.
Sivakami
MEMBER, Shivam Federation
Banashankari
Earlier, none of us knew what to do with the money we earn, what savings are. What we had, we would tie to the ends of sarees. But over the past few years, by attending training and joining collectives, we know how to save for the future.
KUMUDHA
Dry Waste Collection Centre operator
If men are the thalaivars (head) of the house, then we are also thalaivis!
WOMEN PARTICIPANT
awareness session on domestic violence
I want to inspire women to stop
thinking that they are helpless.
Alasavalli
microentrepreneur, Rajeshwari slum

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