Chronicle Editor
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, [email protected]
IN 2019, after her husband’s injury forced him to resign from his mining job, Rumbidzai Mangava (61) of Gwanda found herself in a difficult spot. However, she did not give up. Instead, she transformed waste collection into a dependable source of income for her family.
Despite facing name-calling and stigma associated with her work, Mangava has persevered. The unwavering support of her family, who assist her in collecting waste, has been her rock. For the past six years, the income she is generating from selling waste has kept her family afloat.
Mangava’s home has become a waste collection centre where she sorts and stores all kinds of waste before selling it to recycling companies in Harare. Her day begins at 5am and with her family’s help, she makes three waste collection trips daily. She collects the waste at Gwanda dumpsite, shopping centres, the CBD and other corners of the town where recyclable materials are dumped.
“I have been collecting refuse since 2018. I saw someone collecting waste in Bulawayo and she told me that it was a reliable source of income. I started doing it but at a low scale. After my husband resigned from his job after suffering an injury, I intensified my refuse collection business. I had to find a way of sustaining our family as my husband was still recovering.
“I collect waste together with my family. We collect waste at Gwanda dumpsite, shopping centres and other places where people dump it,” she said.
Mangava is a woman on a mission to turn trash into treasure. Her keen eye spots potential in discarded beer and wine bottles, plastic papers, cans, plastic bottles and even buckets and chairs.
Meticulous organisation is key to her success. Mangava stockpiles her collected waste at home for four months before shipping it in bulk to recycling companies. This bulk approach maximises her profits as recycling companies offer better rates for larger quantities.
Mangava said she sorts the waste before packaging it into bales. Empty cans are crushed to save space while glass bottles require careful handling to avoid breakage as recycling companies do not buy broken bottles.
Not everyone understands Mangava’s dedication. Some in the community have even called her “mad” for rummaging through trash cans but Mangava is unfazed. Her family, her true support system, recognises the value in her work. They understand that collecting waste is not just a chore, it’s their livelihood.
“When some people pass by my house and see the waste in my yard they pass negative comments and label my home as a dumpsite. When they see me going through trash cans collecting waste they sometimes laugh at me and label me a mad woman. However I’m not moved by such remarks because I know what I’m doing and why I’m doing it.
“When my yard is filled with waste I know I have money. My children also understand that this recycling business is our source of income. They have seen how this business has helped us as a family and they support it,” she said.
Mangava’s story isn’t just about personal resilience, it’s a microcosm of the growing importance of waste pickers in the circular economy.
Globally, waste generation is exploding. The World Bank estimates a staggering 2,01 billion tonnes of municipal solid waste produced annually, with a third ending up improperly managed. By 2050, that number is expected to balloon by 70 percent. Waste pickers are emerging as crucial players in this growing crisis, diverting tonnes of waste from landfills into recycling streams.
Gwanda, like other cities and towns, is grappling with waste management burden and Mangava in her small way, is helping to alleviate this burden. — @DubeMatutu
Online Reporter