From Death to Dignity: Goonj weaves old clothes into new hope in India

Teka Teka

In this episode of Teka Teka, PumaPodcast takes you to Delhi, India, to learn about Goonj, a groundbreaking social enterprise reshaping the culture of giving. In 2015 Anshu Gupta received the Ramon Magsaysay Award for his work in Goonj. Goonj upcycles discarded materials into tools for dignity and empowerment. From the story of Habib Bhai, a rickshaw driver collecting unclaimed bodies, to the creation of washable sanitary napkins from scrap cloth, Goonj has impacted the lives of hundreds of thousands across rural and urban India.

Explore how Goonj operates eight large centers, employs over 1,200 people, and partners with 700 local organizations. Learn about their transformative products, from school and wedding kits to the MyPad sanitary napkin project, empowering women. Goonj’s year-round, data-driven sorting goes beyond disaster relief, addressing daily needs with dignity.

Visit goonj.org to learn more, and follow the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation at rmaward.asia for more inspiring stories.

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