In the first episode of this limited series, we try to delve into what are the rampant issues in the waste-picking community, how we got here, and what the future really looks like. This will set the stage for the work that WaterAid does in the space of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene, the three critical pillars for leading a dignified life. "From the Margins to the Mainstream” is a podcast series about the journey of the informal waste pickers’ community in India; A community that has been sidelined for far too long, and forced to live in the dark. This is an initiative by WaterAid, an international not-for-profit, determined to make clean water, decent toilets, and good hygiene normal for everyone, everywhere within a generation. Only by tackling these three essentials in lasting ways can people change their lives for good.

In this final episode of the series, we are in conversation with community members who have understood this key aspect of the Saamuhika Shakti project and are going to be sharing with us their experiences, steps taken, and changes that they’ve observed over the period of the last two years of the WaterAid interventions.

"From the Margins to the Mainstream” is a podcast series about the journey of the informal waste pickers’ community in India; A community that has been sidelined for far too long, and forced to live in the dark.

This is an initiative by WaterAid, an international not-for-profit, determined to make clean water, decent toilets, and good hygiene normal for everyone, everywhere within a generation. Only by tackling these three essentials in lasting ways can people change their lives for good.

As part of Episode 9, we are in conversation with Ms. Chandra Ganapathy who has extensive experience in the WASH sector, talking to us about the importance of ensuring the sustainability of all interventions. These aim to address social, environmental, or economic challenges and often have a limited timeframe. However, their impact shouldn’t be confined to a temporary solution. Sustainable interventions are crucial for achieving lasting change and maximizing the return on investment of resources, effort, and time.

"From the Margins to the Mainstream” is a podcast series about the journey of the informal waste pickers’ community in India; A community that has been sidelined for far too long, and forced to live in the dark.

This is an initiative by WaterAid, an international not-for-profit, determined to make clean water, decent toilets, and good hygiene normal for everyone, everywhere within a generation. Only by tackling these three essentials in lasting ways can people change their lives for good.