DBRC and Tetra Pak Launch Transformative Project to Empower Waste Pickers in Tirupati

Dalit Bahujan Resource Centre (DBRC), in collaboration with Tetra Pak, has launched the "Enhancing Access to Entitlements, Livelihoods, Health, and Environmental Sustainability" project in Tirupati, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at uplifting waste picker communities. These workers play a vital role in the city's waste management and recycling ecosystem but often face economic hardships, social exclusion, and limited access to essential services.

Tetra Pak and DBRC are partnering to empower waste picker communities in Tirupati

The project is structured around four key pillars:

• Livelihood Enhancement: Providing tricycles to strengthen waste pickers primary livelihoods and pushcarts to support alternative income-generating activities, boosting earnings and efficiency.

• Educational Support: Establishing Outdoor Learning Centers (OLCs) to equip children with life skills, instill positive habits, offer academic assistance, and facilitate their integration into formal education.

• Health and Social Security: Conducting awareness programs to improve health practices and facilitate access to government entitlements.

• Training and Capacity Building: Offering training on occupational health, navigating social security schemes, and building leadership skills, while also equipping the municipal corporation with pushcarts to enhance waste segregation efforts.

Since its inception in November 2024, the project has already achieved remarkable progress. Three OLCs have been set up, benefiting nearly 90 children. Five training sessions have been conducted, empowering 150 waste workers with improved safety practices and skills. Livelihood support has been extended through the distribution of tricycles and pushcarts, strengthening financial stability within the community. Awareness campaigns on health, hygiene, sanitation, and environmental consciousness have been launched, including sensitization drives in schools and colleges to encourage responsible waste management.

Milestone Achievements on March 26, 2025

Donation of Pushcarts to Tirupati Municipal Corporation

A significant step in the initiative was marked with the donation of 10 steel pushcarts to the Tirupati Municipal Corporation. The handover ceremony was attended by Sri Charan Teja, Additional Commissioner, and Sri Amaraiah, Deputy Commissioner, who praised the initiative's role in strengthening the city's waste management infrastructure.

"I commend DBRC and Tetra Pak for launching a comprehensive program that not only enhances education, livelihoods, and social support but also recognizes the invaluable contributions of waste pickers-the unsung heroes of environmental sustainability," said Sri Charan Teja, Additional Commissioner.

The event also saw participation from Mr. Kamlesh Kholiya (Sustainability Manager, Tetra Pak), Mr. Alladi Deva Kumar (CEO, DBRC), and Ch. Samuel Anil Kumar (Deputy Director - Programs, DBRC), who reaffirmed their commitment to long-term impact.

Launch of Recycling Awareness Campaign

Later in the day, Mr. Kholiya inaugurated a citywide recycling awareness campaign at Youth Hostel, Tirupati. The initiative, spanning 21 areas in the city, aims to reach 10,000 residents, fostering a culture of responsible waste disposal and environmental stewardship.

Distribution of Tricycles and Pushcarts to Waste Pickers

As part of the ongoing livelihood support, 23 tricycles and pushcarts were distributed to waste pickers, bringing the total to 59. Community Engagement with Waste Picker Families

The project team engaged directly with waste picker families in Scavengers Colony and Govindhapuram, gaining firsthand insights into how the initiative has enhanced access to entitlements, improved livelihoods, and heightened health awareness.

Sharing her experience, Mrs. Ramulamma, a project beneficiary, said: "I was provided with a four-wheeler pushcart, and with it, I've started selling dry fish. This has boosted my income, and I am grateful to DBRC and Tetra Pak for bringing change to our lives."

Another beneficiary from the Scavenger Colony, K. Subramanyam, said: "I toiled 5 kilometers daily, my shoulders aching from heavy waste sacks, earning just 200 to 250 rupees for my five children-a relentless struggle. Now, with a tricycle rickshaw from DBRC and Tetra Pak, I travel 10 to 12 kilometers, carrying more waste and earning 700 to 800 rupees a day. My family's life has brightened, and I'm forever grateful for this uplifting change."

"In Tirupati, our partnership with Tetra Pak is more than an intervention-its a breakthrough for waste pickers. Were rebuilding futures by elevating incomes, creating pathways, and dismantling generations of marginalization. Gratitude to Tetra Pak for making this transformation possible," said Ch. Samuel Anil Kumar, Deputy Director, DBRC.

The collaboration between DBRC, Tetra Pak, and the Tirupati Municipal Corporation showcases the power of focused, strategic interventions in driving social inclusion, economic empowerment, and environmental sustainability. This initiative not only supports marginalized communities but also sets a replicable model for cities looking to enhance waste management and social welfare.