Putting Empathy into Practice: Converting Waste into Opportunities Tanmai Sideesh Ram Reddy Thamlampudi

Reality hits me, every time I gaze out of a window during a cab ride, or commute my way back from school. My observations in these moments exposed me to the human condition, so deprived of quality and respect, sharing living spaces with garbage, likely dumped from better-off parts of the city, and facing the brunt of physical and emotional disease because of it. With time, I wished to use my privilege to uplift the community in which I reside, in the hopes of making a positive change.

I co-founded Civitas, an organization committed to processing, segregating, and recycling waste across Hyderabad by employing my learnings from industry and educational experiences, and brokering collaborations between businesses, the government, and waste management facilities.

Today, Civitas has recycled 350 metric tonnes of waste material, including toxic thermocouples that would have otherwise contaminated groundwater in the area. Moreover, we raised over $10,000 through partnerships and crowdfunding to rejuvenate waste management facilities in nearby villages. I coordinated efforts to upskill workers, install new machinery, and process 2500+ kg of waste daily at the plants.

Collaborating with the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation,...