Women turn disposable cans into pots

Nhlalwenhle Ngwenya
ITa��S not a secret that the pride of every woman is anchored on kitchen utensils in her household. That being said, women who pick refuse around the city and other likeminded people have found a new source of getting more kitchen utensils from disposable aluminum soft drink cans.

Fanta and Dragon energy drinks cans are the preferred recyclable material they are collecting to make three legged pots. Please note, the Coca-Cola ones are not desired because they rust.

Selected vending sites in Bulawayo now sell aluminum pots made from these recycled cans.

But ita��s not an easy thing to create the biggest three legged pot size 30, as 40-50kgs of cans are required while to make the smallest range size three; 20-30 kgs of cans are needed.

This becomes a mammoth task for women looking to add one or two pots to their collection considering that each empty can weighs roughly 15,5g. This means to make the smallest pot one needs to collect 1 935 cans.

One of the women, Elizabeth Shiri, based in Emganwini, who boasts of four different pots made from the cans, said it took her close to a year just to collect enough to make four small pots.

a�?Ita��s a very challenging process. You need to be patient to get enough cans to make pots. My advantage was that when I collected them I was working for Bulawayo City Council as a refuse collector. I utilised that opportunity to get as many cans as I could,a�? said Shiri.

Once she had collected the desired quantity, they were sent to a specialist who melts the cans at Kelvin North industrial site.

a�?Other women used to sell the cans for a song, but we ended up discovering that it was more convenient to get a pot in exchange. Afterwards ita��s up to you to sell it or keep it for home use,a�? she said.

Another woman identified as Mai Makoni, who was racing to meet the target for her new pot, said despite the process being cumbersome it was a better strategy considering the financial situation in Zimbabwe.

a�?Of course ita��s a daunting task, but considering that these pots are made from disposable cans ita��s an advantage. It saves money. You dona��t part with a lot of money which is hard to come by these days. So I am taking my time to ensure that I get my first pot as well,a�? she said.

In the centre of the aluminum pot making business there is enterprising Revai Chakanyuka operating from Kelvin North who said they were making about 10 pots per week depending on demand and supply of cans.

a�?On a good week we make between eight and 10 pots, basing on the material that is delivered to us. We negotiate with people who bring the cans, ita��s either we pay them for the cans or we give them the pots for a certain fee that we would have negotiated,a�? said Chakanyuka.

The most expensive pots cost $100 while the cheapest go for $5, which probably is the main driver why women prefer picking up cans to get pots designed for them.

Adding a health aspect to the mix, Chakanyuka said unlike three legged pots that are made of cast iron or chrome, aluminum pots do not rust, meaning they were much safer to use.

a�?These aluminum pots despite being light in weight dona��t rust. People normally complain of running stomachs after eating food at weddings prepared using those pots, but aluminum pots can actually store water, food and bake,a�? he said.

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