This one-woman cleaning army is fighting the plastic menace by collecting waste from all 550 homes in her Kerala village
Raina A, a member of the Haritha Karma Sena, an initiative of Kudumbashree for a garbage-free and green Kerala, is creating awareness on the adverse effects of plastic. She also volunteers and clears plastic waste from her village regularly.
Over the last couple of decades, we have exponentially increased our consumption of plastic products in our day-to-day life. According to a UN report, the world is drowning in an ocean of plastic. Many individuals and organisations have stepped forward to help the government clean up the mess.
Raina A, an activist from Pullur-Periya panchayat of Pukkalam, Kasargod, Kerala, is on a mission to keep her village clean and green. She collects waste from around 550 homes by herself, as she is an active member of Haritha Karma Sena, an initiative of Kudumbashree for a green, garbage-free Kerala.
Raina A (Image: Edex Live)
Home owners call Raina on her phone when their waste piles up and the on-woman army reaches there to collect the garbage. Speaking to Edex Live, she said, “I collect the waste regardless of the time. Even if one of these people call me after 5 or 6 in the evening, I will turn up.”
Raina also aims to maintain hygiene and cleanliness around her home and in her community through proper waste management.
She said,
“I’m cleaning up the places around me. I think we all know how important it is to keep the environment clean. If I can be of service to people through my actions and help make the environment cleaner, why wouldn’t I take that up? I consider this an opportunity for myself as well! If you visit our neighbourhood right now, you won’t find a single piece of plastic. That’s how clean we’ve managed to keep this place."
It was after understanding the hazardous effects of plastic pollution that Raina volunteered to clean up Periyar Bazar in Pullur-Periya panchayat , Kerala, English Mathrubhumi reported.
Making a clean sweep
On a normal day, Raina, a mother of three, collects up to 14 sacks of plastic waste from all the houses she visits. After a week-long collection drive , she segregates the waste and sends it to the waste-collecting centre.
But how did it all begin? Life wasn’t easy for this Class 8 droput who had to struggle since early childhood. She was married off at 16, and had to shoulder many family responsibilities.
“My life started to become surrounded by tragedy the moment I got married. My husband did not have a steady job or any means to support a family. I awoke to the responsibilities of taking care of a family before I was even old enough to know what they were,” Raina told Edex Live.
Raina, who is working under the Employment Guarantee Scheme, can now support her family to a certain extent. And come evening, after work, she remains steadfast on her mission to keep her village plastic-free.
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