Mangalore: In a humanitarian initiative, the city-based APD Foundation, along with the web news portal Mangalore Meri Jaan, rehabilitated the family of a waste picker in Mangalore by rebuilding their dilapidated house. The beneficiary of the initiative was Mangala, a waste picker and resident of Pachchanady. She was a victim of a natural calamity. A few days ago, her kutcha house had caved in, and she did not have a shelter to live in. Her husband has abandoned her; she survives with her two children. She is the sole breadwinner of the family and is struggling to meet her basic needs. “During my visit, Mangala made a humble request to help her by providing at least a temporary shelter to live with her children,” says Geetha Surya, coordinator of APD Foundation.
Responding to her plight, the web news portal Mangalore Meri Jaan rushed to join hands with APD Foundation by launching a fundraising campaign. They were able to raise funds to the tune of Rs 30,693. A few other donors also contributed Rs 3200 directly. The cumulative amount of Rs 33,893 was sufficient for providing immediate relief.
Workers pulled apart the dilapidated structure and rebuilt it on a raised foundation platform with solid wooden supports, using some of the reusable materials from the old structure. Waterproof PVC sheets were provided as a substitute for the exterior wall. Rubber sheeting from the old structure was retained for roofing. Adequate open spaces were kept for ventilation. The family had earlier been provided with solar lighting under a previous initiative of APD Foundation and Hasiru Dala. The family is now able to live comfortably in a safe and secure shelter.
“Waste pickers are truly the neglected members of society. They contribute a lot to keeping the city clean and also help the environment by harvesting recyclable materials from waste. They lack social security. Society as a whole should wake up to their cause by undertaking welfare measures for them,” said Abdullah A. Rehman, the founder and CEO of APD Foundation.
