New Delhi, May 11 — While Mother's Day is often celebrated with flowers, heartfelt messages, and breakfast in bed, for four women navigating the slums of Delhi, it began like every other day — with purpose, responsibility, and relentless service to their families, communities, and the environment.
Meet Jyoti, Reshma, Anita, and Shagufa — mothers, waste pickers, and grassroots environmental workers who quietly lead a movement of change from within the capital’s neglected corners. Living in different slum clusters of Delhi, these women are pillars of strength and resilience, dedicated not just to their children but also to making their surroundings cleaner and safer.
Mothers of Determination, Not Just Celebration
"I wake up at 4 am every day. I prepare food and lunch boxes, take my children to school and only then go to work," says Jyoti from Vivekananda Camp. She works with Chintan, a non-profit environmental research and action group that partners with waste workers to improve urban waste management.
Her day doesn’t end after work. Afternoons are spent picking up her children and getting them to tuition, and evenings revolve around household chores. “From 4 am to 10 pm, I don’t stop. Sundays are the only days I take off to be with my children,” she says.
Beyond Waste Picking: Environmental Action and Community Outreach
These women aren’t just waste collectors — they are change-makers. As part of Chintan’s initiatives, they conduct door-to-door awareness drives, participate in environmental campaigns, and support other women facing domestic violence or medical issues.
Reshma, 41, from Bhalswa Dairy slum, has been raising five children alone after her husband left. Two of them still attend school. Her environmental work includes the recent 'Heat Solutions' initiative, where she helped reduce indoor temperatures in nearly 80 homes by painting rooftops white and using bamboo and jute sheets.
“I only take a day off if one of my children is sick. Otherwise, I keep working,” says Reshma, with quiet determination.
Juggling Motherhood and Grassroots Activism
Anita, 40, who lives in Nizamuddin’s slum area, balances the care of her six children with waste collection and community work. “Three of them go to school. It’s hard to manage everything,” she admits. Her responsibilities with Chintan include surveys, plastic waste collection, and awareness sessions on health, safety, and the environment.
Meanwhile, 30-year-old Shagufa, who also resides in Nizamuddin, speaks of the toll this tireless life has taken on her health. “There are several health issues I’ve been facing because I don’t get rest. I work as a waste picker and help with the environment group's work,” she says.
Unsung Heroes of Delhi's Slums
Despite their immense contribution, these women receive no flowers, gifts, or cards on Mother's Day. Yet their work impacts hundreds of households across the city. From improving waste segregation and reducing environmental hazards to providing emotional support in their communities, they stand as examples of unwavering strength.
They may not appear in headlines or television screens, but on a day that celebrates motherhood, these women remind us that being a mother often means being a warrior — for family, community, and planet alike.
