About The Founder

Nalini Shekar

Over 22 years of industry experience in developing business for IT products, solutions and consulting services. My expertise and experience spanning stints in India, Middle East, UK and US with both Indian and MNC organizations.

Summary

It has been 10 long years since we first started working with waste pickers in Bangalore, now Bengaluru. It feels like it has been just 10 months. We have worked very hard to bring change for the community – but these struggles have never been unendurable, because we have gotten so much support from so many different stakeholders. At Hasiru Dala we have rode the waves, the ups and down.

Our adaptive approach has grown out of our initial modus operandi where we essentially fought fires as they flared up – we responded to changing legal, social and political environments with growing agility and confident responses. Much of our resilience was learned from the community we “support” – the waste pickers we work with are resilient and unflagging. We are indebted to themfor their spirit and their own support to us.

Our ten year anniversary has come with a huge decision by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP): they are giving the entire dry waste management of the city to waste pickers and women’s self-help groups. This includes everything from door-to-door collection of waste to its processing.Hasiru Dala has been supporting 45 Dry Waste Collection Centres (DWCCs) run by erstwhile waste pickers and scrap dealers in 5 cities of Karnataka and plans to expand to more cities and wards. Hasiru Dala’s role in managing DWCCs include supporting entrepreneurs to run these centres, generating awareness amongst residents through citizen engagement in areas of segregation at source and sustainable methods of waste management, and streamlining collection of dry waste in these particular wards.

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Awards & Recognition

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