My relatives who once laughed at us, now look up at my children and the heights they have reached
In this week’s Survivor Series, we present to you the story of Pasupatham, a toilet cleaner from Coimbatore, who shares the stigma attached to her job and how she faces it with positivity.
My name is Pasupatham and I am a toilet cleaner at Muthu Mariamman Street in Trichy. I have four children to whom I dream to provide quality education so that they lead an independent and better life.
Before working as a sanitation worker, I used to work as a house help at four-five houses. But, the job involved long traveling hours and it started to severely affect my health.
During this time, I was offered the job opportunity to maintain the community toilet in Muthu Mariamman Street. I accepted it, and haven’t looked back since then. I work as a caretaker and toilet cleaner of the community toilet and the residents of my area are very appreciative of the work I do.
My job empowers me and gives me the confidence to make my own decisions, support my family and secure the brightest future for my children.
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My relatives used to laugh at me for my job as a toilet cleaner. Despite the criticism, I continued to work with honesty, leading with the belief that no job is less.
My job secures my family’s needs and ensures that my children are provided with quality education, which will empower them as individuals. This is my motivation to keep moving ahead every day.
After all these years of hard work and dedication, today I feel extremely proud to say that my elder daughter has accomplished her Ph.D and all my other children, and my husband and I are well-settled. My relatives who used to laugh at me now look up at my children with admiration for what they have achieved in life. Being a sanitation worker has ensured a dignified and safe life for me and my family, and is a medium for me to channel my energy and strength.
Pasupatham works as a toilet cleaner in a community toilet in Trichy. The Indian Institute of Human Settlements (IIHS) led-TNUSSP works with many community toilets in the city as part of their interventions across the sanitation value chain. IIHS is a member of the National Faecal Sludge and Septage Management (NFSSM) Alliance, a collaborative body driving the discourse of Faecal Sludge and Septage Management (FSSM) in India.
Edited by Megha Reddy
