THE WASTEPRENEURS FELLOWSHIP 2026

Company Description

Green Future Collective is an eco-feminist non-profit organization committed to advancing a circular economy and promoting sustainable environmental practices. The organization emerged during the global pandemic, when a group of passionate individuals united to reimagine and rebuild ecosystems for a more sustainable future. Through its initiatives, Green Future Collective aims to create long-lasting positive impact by fostering innovative solutions for a greener planet. Currently, we are working with around 20 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in Uttar Pradesh under Swachh Bharat Mission to find solutions for efficient waste management.

About the Fellowship

Green Future Collective has launched an opportunity of a lifetime for persons seeking to build a business in the waste management sector, or simply contribute towards strengthening Uttar Pradesh’s waste management ecosystem. This is your opportunity to become part of the first cohort of Wastepreneurs! From getting your hands dirty on the frontlines with our waste segregation experts, to engaging with corporate accountability, to participating in high-level discussions with the Municipal Corporation, you will get to do it all!

Fellowship Duration

1 year, full-time. Extendable on mutual agreement

Reporting

You will report to the Regional Program Coordinator for your region on a day to day basis, with monthly meetings with the Municipal Commissioner and the President at Green Future Collective. Top- performing fellows will also get an opportunity to present their case progress to the State Directorate for Urban Local Bodies.

Fellowship Objective

The MRF Operations & Waste Management Fellowship is designed for young graduates who want to either start a business, work on supporting governments, or simply learn urban waste management in action. Fellows will be posted at the Municipal Corporation-owned MRFs, working directly on urban waste logistics, segregation and value addition, upcycling initiatives, etc. The fellowship aims to nurture future wastepreneurs, operations managers, and sustainability professionals by combining hands-on MRF supervision with exposure to systems thinking, compliance, and behavioural change.

Key Learning Outcomes

By the end of the fellowship, a Fellow will:

• Own and manage a waste management facility
• Understand waste streams, material value chains, and recycler linkages
• Have a practical understanding of solid waste management rules and compliances
• Have understanding and experience on translating waste into livelihood, systems, and enterprise opportunities

In short: learn how waste becomes worthy of use, data, and value.

Eligibility

• Graduate or final-year student (any discipline; environment, engineering, management, social sciences preferred).
• Willingness to work on-site in physically active environments.
• Basic computer literacy (data entry, simple reporting). Ownership of a smartphone is mandatory.
• Ability to work with municipal staff, sanitation workers, and officials respectfully.
• No prior waste management experience required, only a willingness to work with waste.

Fellowship Stipend & Support

• Monthly fellowship stipend of INR 15000.
• On-ground mentoring by bureaucrats, team-leaders and program teams.
• Certificate of completion with documented learning outcomes.
• Strong pathway to future roles in waste management, circular economy projects, or social enterprises.

Who Should Not Apply

Please don’t apply if you are looking for a purely academic internship, remote/hybrid work or clean hands and abstract sustainability conversations.

How to Apply

Interested candidates can fill the following google form: https://bit.ly/gfc_wastepreneurs2026

(We are an equal opportunity organization with zero tolerance for discrimination based on caste, class,

religion, gender, or any other identity - during hiring or at the workplace. Any form of discriminatory,

exclusionary, or disrespectful behavior is unacceptable. We, therefore, expect all Fellows to demonstrate

social sensitivity, ethical conduct, and respect in all professional interactions.)