Zambia: Creating an income through environmental protection
Young people from Livingstone in Zambia are literally fed up with what they have to endure every day. So they've implemented a simple but clever idea: they collect and sell the trash. They developed the concept together with young people from Germany.
Livingstone is located near Victoria Falls, the region's unique natural attraction. But what visitors see is primarily garbage. Mountains of stinking, smoldering waste pile up in the streets. The toxic smoke blankets the residential areas and makes people sick.
"Important raw materials like glass, plastic and paper are destroyed instead of being meaningfully recycled." (Jacqueline, 21 years old)
Small idea, big success
But things are changing in Livingstone. The "Trash4Cash" initiative has brought together young people to collect and recycle trash. Jacqueline is up and about as early as seven in the morning. Dressed in blue overalls, she and her friends knock on the doors of neighboring houses. They're looking for plastic, glass, and paper waste, which they buy from the neighborhood. Payment is based on weight. At a facility provided free of charge by the city, the collected waste is sorted and baled. The recyclables are then sold to wholesalers in the capital, Lusaka.
"In Germany, we were able to observe various waste disposal methods in several cities. This gave us the idea of building a recycling system in our city as well. For us, the idea of 'waste for money' has even become a reliable source of income."
Youth actively across borders
The fascinating backstory of the project: In 2018, Terre des Hommes together with its partner Environment Africa, initiated a youth exchange between Livingstone and the German logistics company Dachser Group SE & Co. KG. First, trainees from the company traveled to Livingstone to learn about the local waste problem. The following year, 15 activists from Livingstone made a return visit. Jacqueline recalls: “In Germany, we were able to see various waste disposal methods in several cities. This gave us the idea to establish a recycling system in our city as well.” The project has been supported from the outset by Terre des Hommes and the Dachser Group.
The success of this clever youth initiative is evident: More and more families are separating their waste and selling it to “Trah4Cash.” This reduces the mountains of trash on the streets, and everyone in the city benefits. For the 15 young people, the “waste for money” concept has even become a reliable source of income. A prime example of innovative young entrepreneurship that could serve as a model for others. Elsewhere in the world, too.
Further information
Facts & Figures
- They have delivered over 100 tons of waste so far, thus contributing to the household income.
- 27,861 tons of recycled material were sold
- Teenagers earn an average of $150 per month
Left side
of Dachser's page for Trash4Cash