This story belongs to the Fortune India Magazine April 2025 issue.
ADVERTISEMENT
GREEN WORMS, a waste management startup specialises in managing waste in rural Kerala. It has till date collected and recycled 100,000 tonnes of plastic waste from villages in the southern state and has also spread its wings to rural Tamil Nadu and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. What makes Green Worms unique is its 5,000-strong women waste entrepreneurs who collect, segregate, and recycle waste every day. They earn anywhere between ₹500 and ₹600 per day, in contrast to the meagre ₹220 they would get if they were a part of some government employment scheme for women. It helps them support their families and take care of their children’s education.