Sari Scavengers

Picking up garbage, feces and urine of others was a normal job for a woman like Usha Chaumar. Born as a Dalit, the lowest level in India's complex caste system, Chaumar’s fate seemed to be sealed. The rest of society deemed her as an “untouchable,” or too disgusting to touch.

This is where Dr. Bindeswar Pathak of Sulabh International comes in. When he was 13 years old, Dr. Pathak touched an “untouchable”, and for this, his grandmother made him eat cow dung, cow urine, and Ganges water to “purify” himself. Scarred and shocked by this incident, Dr. Pathak made it his mission to help out scavengers like Chaumar.

So with the help of Dr. Pathak’s organization, Sulabh International, Chaumar has been able to learn how to read and write. Long gone are the days of being an “untouchable.” Chaumar is now a sari designer (her dream job!) She was recently crowned "Princess of Sanitation Workers" at the United Nations—a title that may take some getting used to for someone who was formerly shunned.

It just goes to show how anyone can overcome their situation in life—while Chaumar was very lucky, you are probably at a better starting point (at least in terms of social acceptance.) Can you find hope in your situation through this story? What will you do to find your dream job today? [CNN]