Waste picker’s success story: how I went from unemployed to employing
A Mpumalanga recycler has received national recognition for improving the lives of her community members while at the same time helping make a positive difference to the environment.
When she launched Bophelo Recycling in 2007 after being retrenched, little did Johanna Leshabane know that her dream of fighting unemployment in her community would evolve into an award-winning business.
Today, with 11 full-time staff and 20 part-time waste pickers, the waste buy-back centre collects 36 tonnes of recyclable PET plastic from informal settlements, households and schools in the Ermelo area. This equates to a 79% increase in total collection volumes since its inception.
Polymer producer Safripol and the national industry body for PET recycling (PETCO) have together provided Leshabane with supporting recycling infrastructure worth R500,000. The joint contribution included, among other things, a shipping container, electricity supply, trailer, roofing structure, trolleys, signage, fencing and branding, as well as training and mentoring support.
The support has helped stimulate job creation, economic growth and development in the area, and, as a result, Bophelo has recently received national acclaim.
The acclaim, in the form of the Responsible Care Initiative Award in the Corporate Social Responsibility category, came from the Chemical and Allied Industries Association (CAIA). It recognises the impact the project has made on improving the lives and livelihoods of Ermelo community members while making a positive difference to the environment.
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