Among the ambitious schemes launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, there are two big campaigns called ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’ and ‘Make in India’. For this, the Prime Minister invited everyone to step up this campaign. Anita and her husband Shalabh from Delhi are already carrying out this unique campaign. They make beautiful products of export quality by reusing plastic waste. His initiative not only encourages ‘Swachh Bharat’ and ‘Make in India’ campaign but also provides employment opportunities to thousands of waste pickers.
Born in Bhopal and raised in Delhi, the daughter of this freedom fighter, Anita Ahuja, spent her whole life in the service of the society. Seeing the plight of the waste pickers, she decided that she would do something to improve their lives. He started a social enterprise under which plastic waste will be collected from garbage collectors and made into world-class handbags. He had no plan to enter this business nor to do social service. He started working for garbage pickers with the aim of doing something new in life.
One day, Anita decided to take some small projects in her area with some friends and family like her. He started an NGO ‘Conserv India’ and started collecting garbage from all the areas under this project. The kitchen waste was collected from the collected waste and kept in a nearby park to make it compostable. In the beginning, he realized that nothing alone would be achieved, so Anita sought with the other colony. This was not his beginning to make money.
His NGO Conserv India started the Resident Welfare Association with around 3000 people. The association became a full-time commitment organization in 2002 with rights of its own. For four years, Anita worked with garbage pickers and realized that their standard of living was below the poverty level.
There are many problems in our society. An NGO is able to focus on a single issue or community. They decided that they would work to improve the standard of living of the waste pickers. He gained information on recycling technology from the Internet and tried to do different things.
At first, he worked in weaving and making carpets. But these products seemed very simple to look at, hard work was too much and was not even economically viable and it was becoming difficult to sell them. But this continued for some time. Then they decided to develop a plastic bag and the job went well. She thought that first, she would do the artwork in plastic bags and then put her exhibition and then go and try to increase the money. Her husband felt that this plan of Anita would not work. Shalabh prepared elaborately fabricated plastic sheets by machine. Creating artwork in an automated machine and then putting them in the exhibition.
In 2003, Conserv India participated in the Trade Fair of Pragati Maidan. The Textile Ministry gave him a small booth and he received an order of 30 lakhs in it. Anita and Shalabh decided that they would take ownership of the company as the buyers were not willing to take orders directly from the NGO. Garbage pickers had to go door-to-door for plastic waste, but it was less in proportion and then required special coloured plastic to make the product. For this, they contacted the junk people and started sourcing plastic waste directly from the industry as well.
4 Tribal Women Fail MBA, a company with a turnover of crores of its own
Gradually, Conserv India became a brand. By 2020, the turnover of Conserv India will reach 100 crores. Taking inspiration from the inner artist, Anita did what had never been imagined before. Today, handbags of Conserv India are purchased all over the world.
In truth, it is more than business. It is an expression of the soul. This is thought to create a better and beautiful world.
Inputs: tribe.kenfolios.com
