A Waste Picker From Bengaluru Will Speak At A UN Conference In Paris. How Cool Is That?

If you are sincere, hard working and passionate about what you are doing, your efforts will not go unnoticed. 33-year-old Mansoor Ahmed for Bengaluru has set a perfect example for this.

Mansoor Ahmed, a waste-picker from Bengaluru will be in Paris for the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP (Conference Of Parties) 21. He will be talking to participants from across the world about the importance of waste segregation and management.

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The event is scheduled to be held from November 30 to December 11.

 

Mansoor convinced 75% of his customers to segregate waste at source. He operates the Dry Waste Collection Centre (DWCC) (recyclables and inorganic waste aggregation and sorting unit) in ward 168 of Jayanagar.

He voluntarily went door to door to encourage residents to segregate their wastes and drop it at the DWCC.

 

Although, Mansoor cannot speak English, his speech will be translated by Kabir Arora, who coordinates Alliance of Indian Waste-pickers (AIW). “English is not a problem as long as my work talks for me. I’m genuine and there is sincerity in my work which will speak for me. Besides, I will have a translator. As part of my talk, I will be narrating my journey from a seven-year-old rag-picker to what I’m today,” he said.

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His trip is being sponsored by Hasiru Dala, which is a coalition member at the AIW and an organisation of waste-pickers and waste workers.

 

Mansoor’s team of 12 members at the Jayanagar DWCC manages an inventory of 10-12 tonnes of dry waste every month.

“The team from Hasiru Dala asked me if I was interested in going to Paris for a conference. I was elated and immediately said yes. My passport and visa had to be made,” Mansoor said happily.

 

Mansoor Ahmed will be a part of a joint delegation of Indian Youth Climate Network (IYCN) and Alliance of Indian Waste-pickers (AIW) for COP 21.
We wish him all the success and luck and hope he delivers a brilliant speech at the conference. 🙂

News Source: Bangalore Mirror

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