National

Liberated scavengers meet diplomats, to walk the ramp

United Nations: Thirty-six Indian women who were in the scavenging trade till recently rubbed shoulders with diplomats at the United Nations, and are set to walk the ramp in the company of leading models.

The women will be watched by representatives from more than 150 countries when they walk the ramp here on Thursday to display their new-found confidence after being liberated.

The women, who were rescued by the Sulabh International social service organisation from Alwar in Rajasthan from the degrading task, on Tuesday told diplomats and other dignitaries about the changes which made them for the first time feel like human beings.

Impressed with the work done by Sulabh, the U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs had invited them to come to New York to showcase to other NGOs how determination can help to uplift the most suppressed women.

Their stories of change in their lives from pain and suffering to hope and dignity moved one and all. Especially moving was a poem by one of them on her experiences in the two highly contrasting worlds she had seen.

Sulabh was invited to interact with other NGOs worldwide, which are engaged in a similar task, at a series of events organised to observe the “Year of sanitation.”

Sulabh founder Bindeshwar Pathak said his movement achieved the change without any agitation or demonstration.

The most important task, he said, was to provide toilets which would not require manual cleaning and thus eliminate scavenging.

The second task was to train the women in various vocations to earn their livelihood. They were trained in making noodles and pickles, and embroidery, among others. — PTI

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