02/09/2026
Behind every clean street in Delhi NCR is a someone who collects, sorts, and manages the waste our city produces every single day. Without this work, our cities simply couldn't function the way they do.
But here's the problem: even though this work is so important, the people doing it are often not treated as "real" workers. Many don't have an ID card, a bank account, or any health coverage which are all the basic things that give a job security and dignity.
Safai Mitras are at the centre of Project because their work already holds up the city. What they're missing is access. Access to the schemes, documents, and support systems that already exist, but haven't reached them yet.
That's exactly what Project Utthaan focuses on. Enabling waste workers to get what they're already entitled to, so they can build a more secure life for themselves and their families. A bank account means they can start saving. An ID card means they can access healthcare.
This portrait captures that shift, waste worker are not just workers, but are people with plans, families, and futures they're now able to build.
Project Utthaan, an initiative of UNDP India supported by The Coca-Cola Company, and implemented in by Shakti Foundation India.
Small steps add up to something bigger.
