Waste pickers receive care packages
Organisations team up to give care packages to waste pickers
For Mandela Day, Fibre Circle, the producer responsibility organisation for the paper and paper packaging sector, the Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa (PAMSA) and its recycling arm RecyclePaperZA, invested a combined R600 000 to deliver care packages to 1 500 waste collectors in Daggafontein and the Never-Never and Everest informal settlements.
The handout lasted three days and started last Wednesday in Daggafontein and ended at Everest informal settlement on Friday afternoon.
Five hundred waste pickers from each area each received a care package that contained handwashing units, soap, cloth masks, a food voucher, a children?s activity pack and a blanket.
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“This initiative fitted perfectly with the 2020 theme #ActionAgainstPoverty,” says project coordinator Anele Sololo, speaking on behalf of the three organisations.
“Informal recycling collectors recover a significant amount of recyclables from households and office curb sides, often travelling long distances with the laden trolleys to buy-back centres.
“The effects of Covid-19, lockdown, the winter months and lack of access to water for handwashing has exacerbated the plight of so many people, in particular informal recycling collectors, who live hand to mouth.
“With handwashing being the first line of defence against the spread of the coronavirus, we are also trying to improve access to simple handwashing facilities at people’s homes,” says Sololo.
The handwashing unit included in the care packages is a proudly South African innovation, developed by Envirosan.
It comprises a plastic bracket that holds an upside-down two-litre soft drink bottle, fitted with a valve.
“The bracket can be mounted onto a pole or wall and the bottle can be filled at the closest tap.
“We also showed them how to use the unit properly,” adds Sololo.
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The activity booklet contains colouring and puzzle pages for the little ones to keep them busy while also educating caregivers and youngsters about Covid-19 and how to curb the spread.
The initiative also called upon citizens to donate an amount of their choice so they can stay safe while doing their bit this Mandela Day.
As of Monday, the public fund-raising and awareness campaign had raised just more than R25 000 from citizen and corporate donations, towards a R30 000 target.
“We are immensely grateful to everyone who supported this initiative, especially to two of our members for their sizeable donations to this cause,” says Sololo.
Sololo’s highlight of the three days was the community, especially the ‘gogos’ (grannies) , who were so grateful for their presence, and that the parcels included a food voucher.
“We are indebted to our team on the ground which comprised unemployed young people, as well as Arles Baloyi, the PRO of the Springs CPF, and Springs Police Station commander Brig Thembeka Gwebushe.
“Their coordination and presence ensured that we worked with no disturbances.
“We are grateful for their warm professionalism, guidance and involvement,” says Sololo.
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