Goa, July 22 -- SHASHWAT GUPTA RAY

Living with a 60 per cent physical disability since childhood, stunted growth, pov erty and an unemployed husband at home can crush any wom an's morale. But not 40-year-old Chaya Bhanu Rane, a waste col lector from Latambarcem gram panchayat in Bicholim taluka. Despite all these challenges, she has been working for the past several years with the aim of giv ing her family a respectable life. "When I was a child, one of my legs was affected by an illness, and since then I have faced dif ficulty walking. I also stopped growing in height. Even with these challenges, I never gave up.

I wanted to support my family and build a better future for my daughter," Chaya told O Heraldo. Just 145 cm (4 feet 9 inches...