LocationsJayesh Sharma / UNDP India
A Day in the Life of a Safai Mitra: Rubi Devi’s Journey from Waste to Wages
February 27, 2026
Rubi Devi
Jayesh Sharma / UNDP India
On International Waste Pickers Day, we recognize the invisible workforce that keeps our cities running. Among them is Rubi Devi, a Safai Mitra in Delhi whose daily labour sustains her family of six. With support from UNDP India’s Utthaan initiative and the community-based organization, Bal Vikas Dhara, her journey reflects the power of access, awareness, and dignity.
When most homes are still quiet, Rubi Devi is already at work.
Originally from Bind village in Nalanda district, Bihar, Rubi moved to Delhi with her husband after marriage, searching for better income and stability. With four children to raise, the family needed more than one earning member. Her husband struggled to make ends meet on his own, so Rubi began working as a waste segregator under a contractor, earning INR 9,000 a month. She has now spent 12 years in this line of work.
Rubi Devi at work
Jayesh Sharma / UNDP India
The challenge: Hard work, fragile security
Rubi and her husband begin their day before sunrise. The work is physically demanding. Long hours, heavy lifting, poor posture, and constant exposure to sharp and hazardous waste take a toll. Frequent injuries, chronic pain, and medical expenses are part of the job.
Despite working tirelessly, much of their income goes toward healthcare costs caused by the very nature of their work. Like many waste workers, they were unaware of the government schemes meant to support them financially and medically. Limited awareness and difficulty navigating processes kept the family vulnerable, with little left to invest in their children’s future.
A turning point: Community support
Things began to shift when the NGO Bal Vikas Dhara (BVD) connected with Rubi.
“When I first came to Bal Vikas Dhara, I was skeptical. But they didn’t just give us medicines, they gave us hope and showed me that my children can dream of a better life,” Rubi says.
Rubi Devi with her children
Jayesh Sharma / UNDP India
For Rubi, her children are her motivation. Her eldest son, Azad, 17, often offers to share her workload, but she insists that education is his priority. The twins, Hari and Hariom, 12, had struggled to continue school. With support from Bal Vikas Dhara, their admissions are being secured and they currently study at the organization’s centre. Her youngest, nine-year-old Suhani, dreams of becoming a teacher.
Rubi holds an Aadhaar card, a bank account, an E-Shram card, and an ABHA card. These documents are critical steps toward inclusion, yet accessing benefits is not always straightforward. Many families still struggle with awareness and procedures.
“These government IDs have given me a sense of hope and stability. They remind me that my family and I are not invisible; we have a place in this system,” she says.
Community-based organizations play a vital role in bridging this gap, helping families translate documentation into real access.
Rubi Devi with her daughter Suhani
Jayesh Sharma / UNDP India
From policy to practice
Bal Vikas Dhara helped Rubi open a bank account, enabling her to access INR 1,400 provided annually under a Delhi government policy for school uniforms and books for her daughter Suhani. Without a bank account, the benefit would have remained out of reach.
Through initiatives like UNDP India’s Utthaan project, supported by Coca-Cola India Pvt. Limited, community-based organizations are working to strengthen links between marginalized communities and government schemes. Health camps trace and track health issues in early stages and connect waste workers to schemes such as Ayushman Bharat and e-Shram for financial support and insurance coverage. Awareness drives focus on occupational health and safety, as well as enrollment in social protection schemes.
As community efforts strengthen awareness and access at the local level, national policies are evolving to address the structural challenges faced by sanitation and waste workers. The NAMASTE scheme of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment aims to provide safety equipment, training, and financial assistance to sanitation and waste workers. By promoting mechanization and reducing direct contact with hazardous waste, it seeks to improve dignity and safety for workers like Rubi.
Ankit Shaw, Senior Manager, Bal Vikas Dhara says, “Bal Vikas Dhara has long been committed to the upliftment of waste pickers. Partnering with flagship programmes like Utthaan, led by organizations such as UNDP India, has given us a broader horizon and a more structured approach, helping us expand our reach and strengthen our direction. Initiatives like NAMASTE further reinforce this work by focusing on the welfare of sanitation and waste workers. Raising awareness about social protection schemes related to health, insurance and financial inclusion is crucial, as it enables waste pickers to access their rights, reduce vulnerabilities and secure a more dignified future. Such collaborations not only enhance the capacity of CBOs like ours but also bring direct, sustainable change to the lives of waste pickers and their families.
On International Waste Pickers Day, Rubi’s journey is a reminder that dignity begins with recognition, and that with the right support, even the most invisible work can lead to visible change.
