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Tsenulo Moyo
A 70-year-old woman from Gwabalanda in Bulawayo has turned her home into a dumpsite by collecting bottles, cans, scrap metal, bottle lids and old property to earn a living.
The items she collects are kept inside and outside her yard resulting in some community members complaining, labelling them a health hazard. With no biological child of her own and no life partner, Faith Mabukwa said she goes around collecting these items for resale.
“I started this business in 2002 when it used to have a lot of profit but nowadays the business seems to have no profit. I used to be a vendor but my backache forced me to quit as I cannot sit for a long time. I have no other way to survive other than collecting what people call trash and selling it,” said Mabukwa.
She said she occasionally gets help from her Roman Catholic Church and her elder sister. Mabukwa said sometimes she sleeps having eaten isitshwala with no relish.
“One day I even cried for matches, which cost less than two rand and I picked it up at the dumpsite by the grace of God,” she said.
She said she gets paid $10 for one bale with more than 80 plastic bottles inside and she faces the challenge of going to look for buyers herself.
“These buyers make a lot of profit because they make about $50 from one bale that they buy from us,” she said.
She said another challenge she faces is having to pay for transport to ferry the goods. She said the money she manages to get through her business was not even enough to pay for her rent, food and general upkeep.
“Last week I sold nine bales and I was paid only $40, which is not enough even for rent money. I am appealing to the public for any form of assistance. I pray that the Lord protects and blesses those who will assist me”, said Mabukwa. Those wishing to assist can contact her on 0782792130 or this reporter on 0780473973.
derick.khumalo