MY CITY Making a living from garbage She is easy to spot among the workers at the Mukuru waste dump in Dandora, 20 kilometers east of Nairobi's central business district, writes Violette Riungu. Although she could easily pass for just another teenager, Elizabeth Wangari is a hard-working young Kenyan, trying to eke a living from the grimy and unbearable conditions at the notorious Mukuru dumpsite in Dandora. She is beautiful, eager, and almost impatient, showing a demeanour associated with pride. Reluctant to talk at first, after a friendly nudge from her mother, Wangari, 16, quickly warms up to a conversation. "I am the second born, my older sister doesn't work, she stays home all day taking care of the house," she said, explaining that she started working in the dump at the age of 10 after her father's death. "My mother was not making enough money, and I had no choice but to go and fend for us all. I wake up at 5 every morning, cook breakfast, as well as get the young ones ready for school before I go to the dumpsite." Mukuru is slang for remote, a cold dark place or hidden passage depending on which local language one is familiar with. It is located in Embakasi constituency, the largest of the eight constituencies in Nairobi with a population of 1 million residents. The dumpsite is home to some 2,000 people, the most socially deprived and poorest lot in the city of Nairobi. The life here is waste scavenging. Money earned is often used in heavy alcoholism and glue sniffing. Of late, this lot has moved away from the traditional illicit brew Changaa to a more highly concentrated alcohol Jet or Kiroro, jet fuel. However, Wangari's life is devoid of social vices. She is optimistic that the future is bright and her hard work will pay off in the end, for her and six younger siblings despite the fact that she is able to make about 100 shillings a day (equivalent to US$1.3). "I go to the dumpsite at eight every morning with three or four different bags, one for metal, one for bones, one for glass and the other for paper. After the hideous task of sorting, I carry the merchandise to Shabai Scrap Dealers," she says. Her story is not unique as generations have come and gone making a living from the dumpsite as 26-year-old James Kariuki reveals. As we converse, he wears a smile so bright on this dull, rainy, muddy day. James, a handsome young man exuding confidence and intelligence, like Wangari, started working at the site when he was 13. Working from dawn to dusk, women scavenge for the pickings in Nairobi's Mukuru's waste dump. Photo: © Nathan Kihara/UN-HABITAT James came to the dumpsite through friends. He abandoned his parents' home when they failed to pay school fees for his secondary education: "I love this work although my family doesn't know what I do for a living. It is embarrassing dirty work according to them, and, if they get wind of it, they will be ashamed of me," he said. Married in 1998, he and his wife have a daughter of 5 and live in a flat. He says he makes 300 shillings on a bad day and on a good day he can make up to 500 shillings. The recycling yard where James and Wangari work, was given to proprietor Joseph Kang'iri, by the Nairobi City Council in 1989. Aged 42, he has worked here since 1978 after completing his primary school education. He rose through the ranks and was able to acquire the business through experience and hard work. He employs about 40 people and makes 3,000 shillings a day. The dumpsite is a collection point for all the garbage in Nairobi, which produces a staggering 1,600 tonnes of unsorted garbage a day. The likes of Wangari and James make recycling and waste management possible. However, the Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Local Government have plans to relocate the dumpsite from Dandora to Ruai, about 15 kilometers away. This is because of complaints by local residents about the high population density, and waste pollution. "The move poses a big problem for those who have made the dumpsite their workplace. Most say if moved, poverty and crime will be on the rise and then where will we go?" says James. Wangari agrees. Nairobi City Council's Environment Department strives to encourage recycling initiatives, income generation technology, public awareness and education. But the Department alone cannot meet the challenges of Mukuru. Through similar initiatives like Wangari's and James', UN-HABITAT has played a pivotal role in the area through the Mukuru Recycling Center. "We started our relationship with Mukuru Recycling Center back in 1995 when we were approached by the Kariobangi Catholic Church which was giving support to this low income generating group in Dandora," says Graham Alabaster, of UN-HABITAT's Water, Sanitation and Infrastructure Branch. "Basically, they were a group of dumpsite scavengers who obviously had very many social problems, from alcohol abuse, high incidences of rape and other sexual abuses. The idea was based on religious commitment. The church wanted to look for meaningful ways to implement income generating activities to improve lives," he said. Through the Church, the Nairobi City Council was approached and provided land close to the dumpsite for use as a temporary project site. High demand by recycling plants for scavenged items, such as scrap metal, glass, brown paper, plastic cans and bones, pushed up the group's membership, prompting the creation of a second group in 1995. "The expansion of the project in 1996 included new sub-groups like composting and an urban agriculture group who recycle organic waste into compost, which is used as a soil conditioner. They also sell the compost to farmers around the city as an income generating enterprise," Mr. Alabaster said. UN-HABITAT has for the last three years been providing technical support. "Another interesting activity the group has started is soap production. UN-HABITAT plans to assist with additional technology and transport. I am delighted that the project continues despite lack of funding from other sources, a clear indication that the project is self sustaining. It has given back a lot of dignity to the community," says Mr. Alabaster. Like many in Dandora, Wangari and James are determined to make it at all costs. Their work clearly requires a lot of stamina and dedication. This is what good men and women are made of. Violette Riungu is a Nairobi-based writer and public relations consultant.