WASTEPICKERS
MOVEMENT
MAKHANDA
Titans on the Frontlines of the Climate CrisIs
Taking Initiative...
Informal workers such as waste pickers make a substantial contribution to improving environmental conditions and facilitating social cohesion. Besides recycling and local farming significantly contributing to lowering carbon emissions and reducing the number of new materials being manufactured, it can also change the livelihoods of marginalized communities. The value of waste picking should be judged on these contributions and not on hierarchical market forces.
Our Goals
We have various goals and projects that range from ongoing, short-term, intermediate and long-term
REDUCE | REUSE | RECYCLE
Our primary project is improving the living and working conditions for waste pickers who collect waste materials around town to resell. This is not limited to plastic, glass, paper and metals, but also any items that can be reused or turned into something new. Recycling keeps our streets clean and reduces the need for new materials to be produced through harmful processes.
SUBSISTENCE GARDENING
An unstable income makes providing nutritious meals highly difficult. Informal workers often fall ill from lack of nourishment. We assisted a movement of waste pickers in Makhanda to start a subsistence farming project on the landfill. We hope to set up sustainable subsistence farms around the country.
CLIMATE ACTION
We aim to share information about climate change, climate policy and regenerative, bottom-up economies.
