January 13, 2025
Waste Doctor
During my time in India, I have found myself reflecting deeply on life and questioning the true meaning of success. Each day going to different NGOs around Bangalore has brought thought provoking lessons, not through textbooks or lectures but through the stories shared by extraordinary individuals living with purpose and conviction. Over the past week, I have met people whose actions show great selflessness. The individuals we have met are powerfully transforming their communities, all in different ways. Some are ensuring access to education, promoting sustainable food practices, and providing prosthetics to those who need them most. They are not driven by recognition but by the pure goodness of their hearts. Their work is not just changing lives but simultaneously creating hope and possibility.
Today, my understanding of courage and resilience was stretched even further. GCIL had the amazing opportunity to go to a film screening, we would be the first to watch a short documentary about landfills. I was not quite sure what to expect given this as the only information provided prior. The film began, I watched members from the community of Mavallipura rise against seemingly impossible odds to fight for their basic human rights. 100 square kilometers of their land had been turned into a ‘scientific landfill’ with no consultation of the local people. This landfill accumulated 10,22,000 Tonnes of garbage which poisoned their water, their air, and their bodies. Over 60 people lost their lives to the harmful chemicals that encroached into every part of their lives. The entire community was plagued by disease, swarms of flies and mosquitoes, and an absence of representation. With no one to advocate for them, they stood up for themselves using their determination and their creativity. These were people society deemed powerless yet they used their ingenuity to educate their neighbors through songs, making the issue accessible and inspiring action among the rest of the community.
After the screening, we had the privilege of meeting these individuals who had fought for years despite threats and intimidation. Their stories left me in awe. Their courage was boundless, but so was their patience and their resourcefulness. They didn’t just fight for themselves but for the generations to come.
One woman in the film spoke a line that stayed with me: “People who clean the cities are doctors.” She was a waste worker, someone tasked with the dangerous and dehumanizing job of cleaning trash. She explained in the film that the poorer communities were who had these jobs. These jobs are still fighting for permanent employment, health benefits, and social security. At first, I didn’t understand what she meant by this. But as I reflected, I saw her truth. Like doctors, she ensures safety, sacrifices her own well-being, and saves lives in unseen ways. Her work may not be associated with prestige, but it is vital. It made me question everything I thought I understood about success. Is it the number of people you help? The title you hold? The legacy you leave behind?
If success is measured by impact, then arguably the garbage worker, the local doctor, and the courageous activist are all equal in their contributions. They each fill important roles in society. This realization has left me wondering if success can truly be measured at all. Do I need to create a nonprofit that helps children with disabilities or lead a revolution for equality to call myself successful? Can success exist in smaller moments like showing kindness, inspiring one person, or simply being there for others? It feels intangible, something that shifts depending on who you are and what you value. Maybe the journey to success isn’t about a specific destination but about always striving to make a positive difference, however small. Through the rest of my time here I am hopeful that I might uncover my own meaning of success.
By
Kayla