Written by Claire Hopkins
350,000 people living in garbage filled streets. A community of people who, for a living, collect and sort through the garbage. The streets are dirty, the air is heavy and smells. Living conditions are dire and can be dangerous.
Children play in the streets as their parents work. This is the garbage village in North Africa. Many of these people have moved from country side for medical help or for work.
These are the conditions that many women have to work in. This is the only work available to them - sorting the garbage and recycling it. The hours are long, and the pay is minimal. During the summer, the women leave their children to go work, thus leaving their children to occupy and fend for themselves. For many years there were no prospects for these women.
They had no opportunity to learn and improve their prospects.
However, in recent years, vocational training opportunities have become available for the women of garbage village. Women have started making jewellery and bags with recycled materials like Nespresso pods. There is also a 3-month program in which the women are trained to weave materials and sew, thus making beautiful bags, rugs, toys, quilts and much more. After these three months,
New Opportunities
The women are given the opportunity to take one of the weaving machines home. If they have space in their home, or they come work at the centre. This training gives the women a stable income, in a clean and safe environment. It empowers them giving them a chance to learn how to sell their items and interact with customers.
This program is a beautiful thing - using the garbage found in the village to empower women, training them and providing an income to support a whole family.