People see things differently even we have eyes. Zimbabwean public meeting places are better known with much plastic drink bottles on ground and others view this as waste and others as revenue oppurtunity. Today I would like to write about those viewing waste as a source of income. Early in the morning, taking a look at the streets you can see dirty women, children and men carrying large sacks on their backs and picking up plastic bottles, bottle caps, drink cans and scrap metals. They are all heroes which we do not recognise and celebrate their presence. 

One day I visited my aunt's place and I learnt something that day. A Shona proverb, "chitsva chiri mutsoka" meaning you get to know new things by moving around.  My cousin was wearing beautiful coloured head band but when she came closer I realised it was bought from any fancy shop but handmade from recycled sweet packaging plastics. She took it off and I had a picture of it as shown in the insert.  She taught me on how to design and make them and it was not complicated as I thought. Looking more beautiful with cheap wrist bands, necklaces and head bands from cheap material,  how brilliant is that? She went to show me how she decorated her room with those sweet packaging plastics and the room was beautiful. This triggers my mind into deep thinking and finding on what others are doing with waste material to have an income. 

Zimbabweans practice the art of sculpturing from a period dating The late Stone Age period as it quite seen on the Zimbabwean Bird a symbol of the nation which was sculpture of fish eagle found at Great Zimbabwe ruins. Advancement in technology replaced the traditional stone with metal in sculpturing activities. I bumped into an artist who practice sculpture and I asked him where he get his material for the sculptures after being impressed with his designs. The sculptor told me that he pick up scrap metal at dumpsites in towns, residential areas and industrial sites. The metal sculptor come up with creative ideas to make objects like birds, flowers, horses, cars, chickens, baboons. He usually get orders and revenue from tourists who are impressed with his works. Therefore cannot we say we are walking on top of money?

Earning a living from waste, is that possible? Yes it is and it have many benefits to the society and the environment. The unemployment level in Zimbabwe is high but people are able to make a living from the recycling of waste into other products. The environment is clean as there is natural waste management due to the income associated with the waste.

In my research of waste as a source of income I came across different activities undertaken by citizens to recycle the waste. Firstly picking up waste material like bottle tops, empty soft drinks and beer cans, empty plastic water bottles, cardboard boxes and scrap metal. In turn makes bins, baskets and bags for sale as shown in the insert. Secondly empty plastic containers of washing powder from Unilever Zimbabwe are used to make dresses, caps and bags which are also used as corporate gifts. Furthermore also recycles glass. Empty beer bottles is contribute to a large extent of the waste at public meeting places as beerhalls and entertainment activities.  More people are into picking up empty beer bottles and cutting them using sisal fibre to make water glasses for sale. Affordable water glasses than shop bought water glasses. 

On conclusion we are all walking on top of money, throwing away money and seeing money and we go and look for money at the banks. It doesn't provide income only but recycling waste into artifacts have many benefits such as entertainment, beauty and environmental protection. Making the wrist bands as a family is great fun, with my cousin I had great fun in making her headband.