They are the unsung heroes that ensure that the city isn't run over with heaps and mounds of garbage. But, let alone praise or recognition, they are hardly ever noticed.


Keeping it clean: SwaCH workers are responsible for handling and segregating the trash from people's homes

They are the 8,000 registered waste pickers that have come together to form SWaCH Seva Sahakari Sanstha Maryadit, India's first cooperative of self-employed waste pickers or waste collectors.

It was back in 2008 that SwaCH signed up with the municipal body to ensure that people's garbage finds their way to the garbage heap. Five years on, they continue to work hard despite the several obstacles they face on a daily basis.