Kulsum is a waste picker based in Dhaka, Bangladesh, with over 26 years of experience recovering recyclable materials from streets and dumpsites. Her journey into waste picking was shaped by displacement caused by coastal flooding and river erosion, which forced her family to migrate and rebuild their livelihood in the city.
As a leader in the Bangladesh Waste Pickers Union (BWPU), where she serves as General Secretary, Kulsum has organized thousands of waste pickers across multiple cities. Her work focuses on strengthening collective organization, building union capacity, and advancing the rights and recognition of waste pickers at the national level.
