A group of 11 women sanitation workers from the southern Indian state, Kerala decided to pool their money to buy a lottery ticket in June, and to their delight, last week they discovered that they had won the jackpot worth 100 million rupees ($1.2 million; £946,685).
These women are part of a team responsible for collecting non-biodegradable waste from households in Parappanangadi town, located in Kerala's Malappuram district.
Their regular earnings are meager, receiving about 250 rupees a day from monthly payments by households and occasional shares from selling segregated waste. The salaries of these women range from Rs 7,500 to Rs 14,000.
The women candidly admitted that their income was insufficient to meet their needs, leading them to occasionally come together to try their luck with a lottery ticket.
Although private lotteries are banned in many Indian states, Kerala's government operates a legal and widely popular lottery programme.
According to media reports, a few days ago, Radha, a sanitation worker in Parappanangadi, suggested buying a monsoon bumper lottery ticket that offered a cash prize of 100m rupees.
However, not all the workers had enough money for a ticket, so they collectively contributed to buy one.
Nine of them contributed Rs 25 each, while two contributed Rs 12.50 each, making a total of Rs 250.
Their decision proved fruitful when they received a call on Thursday July 27, informing them that they had won the first prize.
This marked the fourth bumper lottery ticket purchased by the group, as they had previously won Rs 1000 in the Onam bumper lottery last year.
Two women, Kuttymalu and Baby, each contributed Rs 12.50 towards the lottery ticket purchase. Baby explained that since they are relatives, Kuttymalu gave Rs 25, while she usually has money only when she receives her wages.
She said that she would pay Kuttymalu back soon, as they always share things between them due to having limited funds for expenses.
After settling government taxes, the group is set to receive 63 million rupees. Baby and Kuttymalu plan to divide their share of 6.3 million rupees equally, while the remaining members will also receive 6.3 million rupees each.
Despite their newfound wealth, they have no plans to leave their jobs as sanitation workers and remain dedicated to keeping Parappanangadi clean.
They expressed pride in being part of the cleanest municipality in Malappuram and are determined to maintain this status.
Additionally, they hope for others in the area to experience their own lottery win. The winners also mentioned that each of them had their own struggles, including dealing with personal losses, house renovations, and recovering from illnesses.
KT Balabhaskaran, director of the Suchitwa Mission, the agency responsible for coordinating waste management efforts across the state, stated that besides waste collection, the women also contribute to the construction of public toilets and the installation of waste disposal facilities.
Parappanangadi Municipality chairman, A Usman said that these women are truly deserving of their lottery win.
He praised the 11 civic workers of Haritha Karma Sena for their unwavering commitment to keeping Parappanangadi clean.
He emphasised their hard work and dedication and expressed happiness that they had won the lottery.
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