OUR APPEAL
Street vendors constitute approximately 2.5% of the population in India's cities, building an important sector among the informal workforce of India. Thriving in a sector that is the backbone of city life, street vendors supply affordable goods and services in the neighbourhood market/ bazaars to make life easier for city dwellers. Without street vendors, city life is unimaginable.
In India, many skilled and unskilled/ semi-skilled people opt for street vending as their primary source of income because of a lack of formal education. Those who resort to street vending, especially in cities, live in a pathetic condition. They adjust in congested colonies, are unaware of the schemes and rights available to them, and are unable to provide nutritious food to their family and quality education to their children, among other issues. Of the estimated 2 crore street vendors in the country, only 50 lakh are recognized and this makes it even difficult for them to empower themselves.
Nidan has closely worked with street vendors across India, through its own as well as its offshoot organizations. Of the 8 lakh plus informal workers that it has worked with, a good number includes street vendors. Nidan spearheads capacity building of street vendors, educating them on the need to eat as well as serve nutritious and healthy, involving them in financial and digital literacy programs and national level street food festivals, and other initiatives for their social and economic empowerment. Around 70,000 street food vendors have been trained and certified in food safety and hygiene in different parts of the country with Nidan's efforts.
To continue its efforts to positively impact the lives of Indian street vendors, Nidan requests support from CSRs, HNIs, Foundations, and other donors.
