Tyre collectors in locations benefits youth’s!

This is because life has taught her to fight and not rest on your laurels despite the hardship one faces.

Armed with determination and graduated with the will to-do attitude, they started a co-operative called ‘Great Opportunity’ last year, to deal with the ever growing problem of tyre wastage in Soweto, if not worldwide.

Phumla and her youthful colleagues daily job is to rid of tyre waste in ekasie-(locations) as micro collectors, an initiative by REDISA programme whose fundamental value is to help create jobs for the unemployed in the country.

“My life has changed for the better as I now have income that I can rely on and do not have to borrow money,” says the energized Phumla.

Key to the waste sector are micro collectors who contribute to higher levels of recycling and help to divert waste that would ordinarily go to landfills, and Phumla and colleagues are championing that.

She says “I am very happy about the opportunity I have found, not only for myself, but for my family as well, through the REDISA micro collector programme”.

The co-operative consist of seven members – four ladies and three guys- and they hope to one day expand and register a co-operative business account so that they can raise capital.

They collect tyre wastage in the Johannesburg CBD, Germiston and Freedom Park.

During this year’s Annual Waste Khoro held in Durban, Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa encouraged entrepreneurs to look to the R25 billion waste sector for business opportunities in the recycling economy, particularly tyre waste sector.

Tough as a nail REDISA Director Stacey Davidson says: “We believe that waste picking offers individuals a means to make a living, regardless of age, level of education or skills set, and it will especially assist us in dealing with the challenge of low-skilled unemployment in the country.

Through our micro collector programme we are working on formalising the industry and providing the micro collectors with the support and training they need.”

As we continue to commemorate Youth Month- for Phumla and team- are a good story to tell.