People think that women working for the Physically Impaired Women Association for Full Development Integration (AFHALITD in French) are mad because they search for plastic bags in garbage cans. These plastic bags that people throw away are valuable for this association. Since April 2011, AFHALITD women have specialised in recycling plastic bags, which is an amazing experience. The major work is to weave the collected plastic.

Plastic bags are collected from markets, bakeries, schools and cleaned with bleaching substance and detergent to remove all sort of dirt. Clean plastic bags are then dried and manually straightened. After cutting them with a special technique "plastic bags are rolled and then cut in such a way that they become a wire reel" says Huguette Hameni, she is a pro. After the cutting phase, weaving begins.

The AFHALITD members are capable of creating almost any type of item: key holder, bag, basket, tablecloth, earring, bracelet, carpet, etc. "We can create anything with these plastic bags, one just has to be creative" replied Marie Louise Noubissie, founding partner of AFHALITD. She explained that nothing from the recycled plastic is wasted. Refuses are used to stuff key holders and decorate bags.

The manufactured plastic bags with the weaving technique can last for long. Woven bags with plastic material can last for up to 10 years, the same applies to key holders. "Only rule is to avoid nearing it to fire" She advised. AFHALITD members received a two day training from Fondation Terre Vivante (Cameroon) to be able to start this recycling technique.

AFHALITD manufactured products are very much requested on the market because they last long and they help fight against pollution.

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