Women waste-pickers in Navi Mumbai prepare for Class 10 board exams after returning to education through a social empowerment programme | File Photo
Navi Mumbai, Feb 20: Thirteen women waste-pickers associated with Stree Mukti Sanghatana are set to appear for the Class 10 (SSC) board examination this year, marking a significant milestone in their journey from marginalisation to empowerment. The initiative has been facilitated under the organisation’s “slum model” in collaboration with the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation.
From waste collection to classrooms
For years, these women worked in informal waste collection across various slum pockets of the city. Under the slum model, hundreds of women are engaged in door-to-door collection of segregated waste and composting activities, contributing both to the city’s cleanliness and to their family incomes. However, the programme has gradually expanded beyond livelihood support to focus on education and holistic development.
Most of the 13 women had dropped out of school 15 to 20 years ago due to poverty, early marriage, domestic responsibilities, or the need to work. Some had left school in Class 7, 8, or 9. Marriage, motherhood, and financial pressures pushed their education into the background.
Film inspires return to education
The turning point came after the women watched the Marathi film Ata Thambaycha Naahi (Now We Will Not Stop), which mirrors the struggles of women determined to complete their education. Inspired by the story, many began to believe that they too could return to school and attempt the SSC examination.
With the initiative led by Prof. Vrushali Magdum, trustee of Stree Mukti Sanghatana, preparations for the board exams began. Initially, 25 women expressed interest, but 13 persevered through documentation hurdles, name changes after marriage, and the process of obtaining old school records and completing board formalities.
“Many of them faced difficulties in tracing academic documents, especially since their names had changed after marriage. Some are single parents. Every step — from filling forms to registering with the board — was a challenge,” said Magdum.
Community support and coaching
Educational material was supported by Prabhat Trust’s Prashant Thorat, while a team of volunteer teachers — including Prashant Gadekar, Ajit Khatal, Ashok Galve, Asha Patil, and Nisha Rathod — took on the responsibility of coaching the women. Coordinating the activity was Asha Gaikwad. Regular classes are now held at the organisation’s centre in Koparkhairane.
Their daily routine is gruelling. They complete household chores at dawn, carry out waste collection duties through the morning, and attend classes in the afternoon. Initially, some faced resistance at home, with family members questioning the need to study at their age. But as their determination became evident — studying late into the night and preparing earnestly — families gradually began offering support.
In one household, a mother and daughter — both appearing for Class 10 — now study together each night, sharing notes and revising lessons side by side.
A new dawn through education
“Education has no age limit. These women are not just appearing for an exam; they are sending a strong message to society,” Magdum said. “The same hands that once sorted paper from garbage are now turning the pages of textbooks. That is the real revolution.”
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Looking ahead, some of the women aspire to pursue higher secondary education, while others want to work in anganwadis, health services, or social work. Many say they want to guide their children academically and be recognised not only as waste-pickers, but as educated, self-reliant women.
For them, the SSC exam is more than a certificate — it is a new dawn forged through resilience.
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