ENTREPRENEUR Collect a Can
Collect-a-Can
n e m o W s r e w Empo
Through Recycling
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hen faced with adversity, a group of women in Orange Farm chose to make use of their resourcefulness and take charge of their futures by seizing opportunities through the recycling of waste. Every year, in celebration of National Women’s Day on 9 August, Collect-a-Can seizes the opportunity to recognise and applaud inspirational women that they have had the privilege to encounter during the course of their business. This year, Collect-a-Can was celebrating the ladies from Itsoseng Women’s Project, from Orange Farm, a large informal settlement on the outskirts of Johannesburg, who have shown determination, commitment and discipline to improve not only their own lot but also those of others around them. The Itsoseng Women’s Project aims to bring dignity to the lives of women and children, by providing opportunities of employment, education, nutrition and free legal aid to the community of Orange Farm.
The project further invested in skills development for the crèche’s teachers “By creating employment and seizing by funding a four year diploma course other opportunities through the in child care and early childhood recycling of waste, the Itsoseng Women’s development for all teachers. Project helps to contribute to greening the environment and raises funds to Over the past 15 years the project reinvest in the community’s livelihood”, received support from a number of says Zimasa Velaphi, Public Relations organisations, including a local hardware and Marketing Manager of Collect-a-Can. store, Collect-a-Can, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Social A group of women, committed to Development, the United Nations transformation in South Africa, Development Programme and local established the project in 1997 when church groups. they started collecting waste products including cans, plastic, glass bottles and With this support the project has cardboard, which they sold to larger been going from strength to strength; recycling companies. currently 30 people are employed to sort waste, seven community care givers With the funds they raised, the women work at the crèche, and 70 home based established a crèche to assist the recyclers collect waste in the community. mothers who collected and sorted The Itsoseng Women’s Project also waste for them, and to support other provides income to many unemployed young underprivileged children in members of the community who sell the community. The crèche, currently waste on an ad hoc basis. The success catering for approximately 60 children, of Itsoseng Women’s Project can be also launched a feeding programme to prescribed to the fact that many of ensure that all the children receive at its board members are based in the least one healthy meal every day.
community and are well respected due to the part they play in making an important and valuable contribution to the community. Collect-a-Can encourages local businesses to get involved with the Itsoseng Women’s Project and other similar projects in the area, by donating used beverage cans to these deserving ladies this not only protects the environment, but also safeguards the lives of many women, children and their families. “It is critical to create a generation that understands the importance of waste management and recycling,” says Velaphi. “Collect-a-Can encourages those that are unemployed, in particular unemployed youths, to see waste recovery and recycling as an opportunity to earn an income until they can find permanent employment or to supplement low income.” To find out how to get involved in waste recovery and recycling visit Collect-a-Can’s website www. collectacan.co.za or contact the Collect-a-Can head office on (011) 466 2939. For more information on the Itsoseng Women’s Project find them on Facebook or contact (011) 8503477.
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