Rozina Begum, 33 years of age, has often wondered at the ironies of life. Working as a waste collector in Aftabnagar since childhood, she was known as the “moilawali” in her local area.

For Rozina, life often took harsher turns. Her husband, who worked with her in waste collection, would frequently disappear in the middle of projects. This led to fewer work coming Rozina’s way and make ends meet. The local elders would frequently tease Rozina about her husband’s whereabouts, leading to deterioration of her mental health. Her life took a devastating turn when she suffered a miscarriage due to insufficient nutrition.

Help came in the form of SAJIDA Foundation’s SUDIN program. Rozina received a small grant from SUDIN, which helped her procure her own waste cart. Now, Rozina rents out that cart to other waste collectors as an earning source, securing her financial independence.

Rozina keeps her cart rent fee very low as she feels the need to give back to the waste collecting profession, that is responsible for ensuring a cleaner community. “The right intervention at the right time can create a long chain of good deeds in the society,” says Rozina.