Helping the waste collectors of Cairo
by improving their plastic recycling operations
Who needs help and why?
Around 7000 people live in Ezbet En-Nawwar, one of Greater Cairo’s waste collection settlements. They collect around 700 tonnes of solid waste every day in the north-east of the city, sort the recyclable materials obtained from it and also sell or recycle most of it. The livelihood of these people was destroyed when the Egyptian government decided to kill all pigs in the country in April 2009. Until then, pig farming in Egypt had been carried out almost exclusively by the mostly Coptic waste collectors, who used the collected organic waste as feed. They earned around half of their income from this sector of their recycling activities alone. After the approximately 40,000 pigs belonging to the waste collectors of Ezbet En-Nawwar were killed, the people now have to look for new ways to secure their livelihood.
Improving their plastic recycling is a particularly sensible option here. This would enable them to improve their competitiveness against the larger recycling companies in the country and create new jobs. There are currently 50 plastic recycling companies in Ezbet En-Nawwar, which are owned by waste collectors and employ around 240 people. However, they mainly have technical deficiencies and urgently need to be improved.
What is to be achieved?
– Plastic recycling should be made more efficient.
– Plastic granulate must be improved so that it sells better.
– More people should find employment.
– Workplace safety must be improved.
– The environmental impact of the companies should be reduced.
The recycling of plastic is of great importance for Egypt. Around 1 million tonnes of plastic waste are produced in the country every year. The numerous plastic factories in the country urgently need plastic granulate, some of which has to be imported from abroad, where the recycling process has already been further developed, using foreign currency.
What does it cost?
– 2000 per farm if the owners bear a third of the costs themselves
– €200 per month for project coordination and training of a
marketing specialist during the implementation of the measures.
How many farms will be helped?
Depends on the amount of financial support received (max. 50).
Further information: fouadnibrahim@aol.com; www.afrikafreundeskreis.de
Please send donations to: (small donations are also very welcome!)
Afrika-Freundeskreis e.V. Keyword:
‘Müllsammler Kairo Plastikrecycling’
Bank details: Account no. 570 005 801; sort code 773 501 10;
Sparkasse Bayreuth
IBAN: DE34773501100570005801 SWIFT-/BIC-Code BYLADEM1SBT
