They sift through waste for a living but the initiative of 58-year-old Vashi resident Vrushali Magdum ensures their children do not end up as rag-pickers. Magdum,the Navi Mumbai co-ordinator of Stree Mukti Sanghatana,has been helping women rag-pickers and their families in the satellite city to avail themselves of free medical facilities and send their children to school. The effort is showing results. This year,as many as 10 girls,all children of rag-pickers,appeared for the SSC exam. After identifying rag-pickers in various parts of the city,the NGO approaches them,counsels them,ensures they receive free medical check-ups and helps their children get admission to civic schools. Volunteers of the organisation,under Magdum,work in areas of Navi Mumbai like Turbhe,Digha,Ghansoli,Indira Nagar,Nerul,Tarsole village,Rabale and Kopar Khairane. A professor for 33 years,Magdum retired from her job at Vashis Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil College a few months ago. Helping rag-pickers was something she began when she was a professor. We started working with rag-pickers in 2000. Initially,we went to Kopar Khairane dumping ground and saw the conditions in which these women work. We wondered how to help them lead a better life and it took us three years to convince the first lot that we were trying to help them. Initially,they were hesitant. When we explained we wanted to help them get medical facilities and a better life,they were excited, says Magdum. The next step was to ensure rag-pickers have identity cards. We approached the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) and with their help,got identity cards for rag-pickers. We help them procure ration cards so that they benefit from various schemes, says Magdum. A leading hospital in the city has provided the NGO with a mobile clinic with medical staff. If the condition of a patient is serious,he/she is taken to hospital for a check-up and treated. Most women the NGO helped are either widows or wives of alcoholics,reveals Magdum. These women go through huge struggles. Some are widows while others have alcoholic husbands. The onus of providing for the family rests solely on these women. We decided to help children of rag-pickers so that they aspire for a better life. We conduct free coaching classes for their children in various parts of the city. While funds for these were short,we now have donors who pay salaries of teachers, she says. The fact that 10 girls managed to study till Class X is very good. They come from families that do not understand the need of educating girls. We have had to request and plead with their parents to send them to school. While some agreed,others took a lot of coaxing, Magdum says. Vocational classes have also been started for rag-pickers and their families. Training in computers and other skills is given to those who attend classes. The NGO has also tied up with several other NGOs in the city in the endeavour. Magdum,however,says there are times when those whom the NGO wants to help cannot be located. Most of them live in unauthorised structures. If their houses are demolished,they move to another area and it is difficult to trace them. In such a case,we have to start all over again and it becomes difficult, says Magdum. While many donors help them,Magdum says much more needs to be done to help rag-pickers. We are doing all we can. But there are other key areas we need to look into. Our work will go on and we will continue helping such persons so that they can have a better tomorrow, says Magdum.
