Disabled Indian artisans find creative means of tackling waste pollution: Video
In India, one of the world's top plastic polluters, a group of artisans is tackling the waste problem through creative upcycling.
At a workshop north of New Delhi, 28-year-old Ram Babu, an amputee, transforms discarded cigarette packets into papier-mâché candles. Babu, who lost his leg in a 2005 train accident, credits his father and the Society for Child Development for helping him find a new purpose.
"I had lost all hope, but after joining this centre, I realised I could still do what I wanted," says Babu, who is among many artisans with disabilities turning "trash to cash."
Founded by Madhumita Puri, the Society for Child Development gathers waste from homes, offices, and factories, turning it into eco-friendly products.
"We recycle waste and make it into beautiful things again," says Puri.
One of their projects, called "Avacayam," transforms flowers offered in temples into incense sticks and coloured powders used in festivals.
They also recycle fallen idols of Hindu gods into sacred powder for temple rituals, blending environmental care with cultural reverence. However, Puri notes that social attitudes and finances remain the biggest challenges.
"Changing society's mindset is difficult, but with persistence, it's possible," she adds.
