As India advances its dialogue on sustainability, the inspiring journey of Kuteja Kubra from Sattihalli village in Chikkamagaluru offers a compelling story of how rural women are becoming champions of environmental change.

Once unlikely to imagine herself driving a waste collection vehicle, Kuteja now navigates confidently through Machagondana Halli, Handi, Gullanpet, and Indra Nagar in the Swachh Vahini, reaching over 650 homes. Her training in solid and liquid waste management, waste segregation, and vehicle operations has made her a vital pillar of rural sanitation and public health.

But her role extends far beyond collection. As a dedicated community educator, she conducts door-to-door campaigns to raise awareness about hygienic waste practices and the importance of segregation. Her mission aligns with flagship national programs like the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) and Jal Jeevan Mission, striving to build Open Defecation Free (ODF) communities and ensure clean drinking water access.

Kuteja’s work safeguards water sources from contamination and fosters cleaner living conditions. With encouragement from her husband, a local hotel owner, and strong backing from the Sattihalli Gram Panchayat, she has emerged as a symbol of empowered rural womanhood.

Her journey has brought not only economic independence and community respect, but also a shift in traditional gender norms—demonstrating that environmental stewardship and leadership are not limited by gender or geography.

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