Turning trash into hope in Kurland
With a single shipping container and a big dream, Crags resident Dalene Thys believes she can contribute to alleviating poverty in the area and at the same time reduce residents’ carbon footprint.
The Kurland Swop Shop and Recycling project in Kurland Village just outside Plettenberg Bay is Thys’ brainchild.
The idea behind the project is that members of the community, plagued by a high unemployment rate, can collect recyclable items and swop them for non-perishable foodstuff, school stationery, secondhand clothing and household items and even pet food.The price tag on each item reflects its value in recycling weight.
Thys and her three-man team then sort the recycling, package it and send it off to recycling plants on the Garden Route.
She was also recently part of a world record attempt, driven by the South African Sanctuary Alliance (SAASA) group, for the largest swop shop collection. The drive was not only for the title, but also an attempt to keep the shelves stocked.
It is heartbreaking when someone shows up at the shop, after recycling for up to two weeks in order to buy food for his or her family, and I have nothing on the shelves,” Thys said.
For more information contact Dalene Thys on 071 780 2217. For assistance getting donations to the swop shop contact Monkeyland on 044 534 8906.