Parappanangadi, India – M Radha, a sanitation employee within the southern state of Kerala, says when she checked her cell phone on July 27, she couldn’t imagine her eyes; she had gained 100 million rupees ($1.2m) lottery jackpot.

The 49-year-old had pooled cash together with 10 different colleagues to purchase the 250 rupees ($3) monsoon bumper lottery ticket in June.

“I screamed loudly and hugged my colleagues who stood in disbelief,” an overjoyed Radha informed Al Jazeera at her office in Parappanangadi municipality in Malappuram district.

“It is the best thing that has happened to our lives. We had purchased many lottery tickets before. But our time has come only now,” she mentioned.

The group of 11 girls work to segregate non-biodegradable waste on the Material Collection Facility in Parappanangadi municipality.

The girls mentioned they wrestle to make ends meet with their present every day wage of about 400 rupees ($5). Many of them are in debt, they mentioned.

When the ticket vendor approached them in June, they may not afford the 250 rupees ticket individually, in order that they determined to hitch forces. Radha says she persuaded her colleagues to contribute 25 rupees ($0.30) every to purchase the lottery ticket.

But 65-year-old C Kuttimalu couldn’t handle to boost her share. But leaving out a senior member from the group was powerful, therefore they agreed for Kuttimalu and her 64-year-old cousin Baby to separate their contribution – 12.50 rupees ($0.15) every.

‘Most deserving’

The pleasure of 11 girls quickly remodeled right into a competition of types in Parappanangadi, a vibrant municipality – residence to about 70,000 individuals.

Congratulatory messages poured in from mates and kin, whereas social media posts talked about “Lady Luck smiling on the most deserving people on earth”.

Six members of the group are Dalits – the previous untouchables – and the remainder hail from the unprivileged Hindu castes. Waste assortment in India is seen with stigma and it largely entails individuals from the unprivileged castes.

“I have been living in penury all these years. My husband’s death put my family’s burden on me. I am still working to make ends meet,” P Karthyayani informed Al Jazeera.

“I hope this jackpot will end my misery forever,” the 74-year-old widow, who helps her household, mentioned.

Okay Chandrika was bedridden for seven months after she suffered a stroke practically a yr in the past. The 53-year-old survived however she incurred huge debt.

“I am in deep debt. I was clueless – how to pay off my debts. I hope the jackpot will save me,” Chandrika, who joined work a couple of days earlier than shopping for the ticket, informed Al Jazeera.

“This is a God-sent gift,” she mentioned.

The jackpot has given an enormous aid for Radha – the youngest and chief of the group – who has been going through monetary difficulties.

She shares her two-room thatched-roof home lined with tarpaulin in a densely populated neighbourhood of Parappanangadi with 5 different relations.

“I have to build a home where all six can live a comfortable life. It is my first priority because I have been living in a congested house for all these years,” she mentioned.

The different sanitation employees too have their share of worries.

Leela’s daughter, who met with an accident two years in the past, wants a number of surgical procedures; Shobha, a widow who misplaced her daughter six months in the past, has to repay money owed and renovate her home; Lakshmi has to dig a nicely at residence for consuming water and marry off her daughter; Bindu has to finish the development of her home that has been stalled following the dying of her husband two years in the past. Baby, Kuttimalu, Parvathy and Sheeja additionally wish to use the cash to construct new homes.

Not to go away their jobs

The jackpot has taught the ladies to dream large, however they’ve determined to not go away their job on the Haritha Karma Sena (Green Task Force) launched by the native authorities in 2016, which performs a key position in conserving the state clear.

The sanitation employees acquire non-biodegradable waste from households and public bins, carry them to the gathering facility, segregate them and ship them for shredding and recycling.

“It is a low-paying job, but it gives us plenty of energy,” mentioned 48-year-old Sheeja. They earn between 12,000 rupees ($144) and 14,000 rupees ($170) a month.

“We forget all our miseries and misfortunes when we work here. We sing songs and pull each other’s legs. It is impossible to leave this work until we are down with serious illnesses.”

“Nonetheless, it is a big amount for us. We require the money to pay back our bank loans and buy essentials,” mentioned 55-year-old Parvathy.

Gauri P, the secretary of the Green Task Force, mentioned the jackpot would undoubtedly enhance the monetary situation of poor girls.

“For them, work is worship. They work hard to keep the municipality clean of non-degradable waste,” she mentioned whereas overseeing the waste assortment.

Recognising their onerous work and dedication, final yr the native authorities declared them the perfect Green Task Force within the state.

Accolades and anxiousness

The uncommon camaraderie of the sanitation employees has gained accolades from many quarters. Feminist historian and educational J Devika mentioned she was completely satisfied for them.

“The poor are expected to toil endlessly for even the most insignificant welfare benefit. Lady Luck has let them cock a snook at neoliberalism’s punitive work ethic,” Devika informed Al Jazeera.

“It brings people together. I hope the spirit endures because it is hard for it to survive in these times in which individual gain is the watchword in everything,” she mentioned.

Meanwhile, in Parappanangadi, the ladies are trying ahead to receiving the prize cash.

Malappuram district lottery officer, Lethish NH, mentioned the quantity will probably be disbursed instantly after the ladies submit related paperwork.

“There will not be any delay from the part of the lottery department if the documents are perfect,” he mentioned.

Lottery is against the law in a number of Indian states nevertheless it’s thought-about the spine of Kerala’s funds. The state earned 71.45 billion rupees ($929m) from lottery gross sales in 2021-22. The state’s lottery division runs seven weekly lotteries and 6 bumper lotteries in a yr.

The girls’s group is anticipated to get 63 million rupees ($760,024) after deducting the agent’s fee and authorities taxes. This quantity will probably be equally divided into 10 elements, and 9 girls will get 6.3 million rupees ($76,190) every. Two others – Kuttimalu and Baby – who shared their a part of the price of the lottery ticket would equally divide the tenth share of the proceeds.

“The bank officials have asked all of us to produce Aadhaar [India’s unique identity number] and other relevant documents. We will complete the process soon,” mentioned Kuttimalu.

Radha, who usually buys the tickets for the group, says she plans to purchase the upcoming Onam Bumper Lottery ticket, which gives prize cash of 250 million rupees ($3m), with equal shares from all of the 57 members of the Green Task Force.

“We feel bad for not purchasing the Monsoon Bumper [that hit the jackpot] together. This is the best way to make amends for it. The ticket cost is 500 rupees ($6). We will chip in 9 rupees [$0.1] each,” she mentioned.

“Who knows Lady Luck will smile on us once again.”