RESTORING DIGNITY. BUILDING FUTURES.
EMPOWERING RAG PICKER COMMUNITIES ACROSS TAMIL NADU.
For over a decade, ATSWA Trust has been at the forefront of empowering rag picker communities across Tamil Nadu—from the vast dump yards of Kodungaiyur in Chennai to underserved pockets in Thiruvallur, Kanchipuram, Vellore, Ranipet, Villupuram , and Chengalpattu. Our work is grounded in deep, consistent engagement—beginning at the grassroots with trust-building and crisis response, and evolving into a sustained mission for dignity, health, inclusion, and sustainable livelihood alternatives.
What We Do
Awareness, Rights & Health Sensitization
We conduct inclusive, community-led outreach sessions on:
- Occupational health and safety
- Sanitation, hygiene, and waste handling practices
- Gender equity, child rights, and education
- Government schemes, documentation, and entitlements
Our sessions reach women, youth, children, and elderly waste workers, and are often facilitated by trained leaders from within the community. We don’t just inform—we empower.
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Life-Saving Safety Kits & Relief Support
Rag pickers risk their lives daily with no basic protection. To address this, ATSWA has distributed:
- Protective gloves, masks, and boots to reduce exposure to hazardous materials
- Sanitary kits for women and adolescent girls
- Food rations and nutrition packs during floods, lockdowns, and other emergencies
- First-aid kits and basic healthcare supportese efforts are often the first and only source of aid during crisis periods, reinforcing community trust and safety.
Kit distribution for rag picker families near Chennai’s dump yards.
3. Grassroots Crisis Response & Inclusive Outreach
Our approach is community-centered and field-driven. We:
- Identify real-time needs during disasters and disease outbreaks
- Mobilize partnerships and donor support for swift intervention
- Prioritize Dalit, migrant, single-parent, and female-headed households to ensure no one is left behind From Kodungaiyur to Ennore, from peri-urban slums to rural waste hubs, our teams are always present, always listening, always acting.
Why It Matters
Rag pickers are the invisible backbone of urban waste management, but they remain among the most excluded and exploited groups in India. Our work is not charity—it is justice, inclusion, and empowerment. We don’t see rag pickers as beneficiaries. We see them as partners in progress—resilient, capable, and deserving of dignity, recognition, and opportunity.
Looking Ahead: Join Us in Scaling Impact
ATSWA Trust is actively seeking grants and strategic partnerships to:
- Scale successful community models across new urban and rural settlements
- Establish health access, education support, and vocational training hubsfor waste worker families
- Launch advocacy campaigns to formalize and protect the rights of informal waste workers
We are ready to take our work to the next level, with your support.
Let’s Build a Future Where Every Waste Worker Is Seen, Safe, and Supported.
Reach out to explore partnership or funding opportunities.
Join us in transforming invisible lives into powerful voices.