Back to school: From rags to school— Chintan’s efforts win global award

Having studied at a primary school in his village till Class II, Chhabikul tried to get admission to a government school in Mehrauli.

However, with the school authorities asking him for various documents and informing him that language might pose a barrier for him, it was the end of his school days. Chhabikul’s discouraged father engaged him in his waste picking business. A year later, the father-son duo were spotted on the streets by workers of Chintan, an NGO working on environment issues, especially waste-picking.

Conversations with the boy revealed that although he wanted to study, he could do so only in the afternoon, after finishing work . With the support of his father, Chhabikul started attending a school run by an NGO in 2006. He was later admitted to a government primary school in Pant Nagar.

Chhabikul is one of the many kids who owes his education to the efforts of Chintan.

His story highlights the involvement of children in the waste-picking business and the identity crisis faced by thousands of ragpickers in the city, most of whom have migrated from various parts of the country.

Since 1999, Chintan has been working with waste pickers by undertaking various recycling projects and programmes to promote education in this community.

Recognising these efforts, the United Nations , through its Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and in partnership with BMW

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