CSARO goal: Assist waste pickers to better their social and economic conditions through skills development and self help activities.

Making handicrafts from recycled plastic

Waste Picker Development Center

The CSARO Waster Picker Development Center (WPDC) works to improve the quality of life for waste pickers. The center provides sanitation facilities, conducts education activities and trainings, and organizes members into Self Help Groups (SHG). Quarterly meetings are held at the center between CSARO staff and SHG members to monitor progress and facilitate problem solving. Use of the center continued to grow during 2005 with average visits rising from 60 to 85 per day.

Handicrafts made from recycled plastic and paper

The WPDC runs general health care and first aid facilities. During 2005, first aid was administered to 225 adults and children, and 4 referrals made for more serious needs. A counseling and discussion group is organized with women and girl waste pickers. In 2005 99 waste pickers were involved in this activity, with discussion around reproductive health, birth spacing, child trafficking, harassment, sexual abuse, drug abuse, mental health and domestic violence.

A focus for 2005 has been improving marketing skills for recycled materials and CSARO has also facilitated exploration of overseas markets for goods.

Training and exchange visits

In 2005, the WPDC conducted training workshops to teach waste pickers techniques on how to make useable products from paper, plastic, and compostable waste. 57 waste pickers participated in 5 training workshops during the year.

Training in making handicrafts from recycled plastic

Three SHG training workshops were conducted at the WPDC during 2005 to build the capacity and skills of wastepickers. The training covered subjects that included marketing of recycled materials, community based primary collection and waste separation. A waste recycling trainer workshop was also run, enabling the participants to improve their training skills in passing on recycling methods to others, and to improve their income through being able to deliver training sessions.

In 2005, CSARO held quarterly meetings with SHGs. 101 waste pickers from 13 SHG participated. The meetings provided an opportunity for SHG members to exchange feedback and advice about their groups and to receive training in primary collection, quality of recycling production, marketing, composting and other skills.

Two exchange visits were carried out during the year. 45 wastepickers took part in the exchange visits to learn about marketing of handicraft and use of compost in organic faming of produce.

The WPDC took 21 SHG members on a 3-day exposure visit to Siem Reap province. The goal of the trip was to provide waste pickers with exposure to life outside the city and to learn from another group (Atisang Angkor Group Association) about producing and marketing recycled goods. This field trip also provided a good environment for SHG members and CSARO staff to develop communication and trust.