On the 8th of April Wildlands Conservation Trust, a leading environmental non-profit organisation, set up a “Green Future Store” for Durban based community members involved in their ‘Recycling for Life’ project. The store was setup at Bassa’s Wholesale Store in Mayville.
Wildlands call these community members Waste-preneurs, as they collect recyclable waste and barter it with the NPO for items they need (at a Green Future Store such as this one) such as, food, bicycles, building supplies and education support.
Deserving Waste-preneurs arrived from Cato Manor, Umbilo, Isipingo, Umlazi, Nazareth and Dassenhoek to reward themselves with the vouchers given to them by Wildlands.
The Waste-preneurs that came to barter their redeemable vouchers for goods collectively bartered 16 238kg’s, valued at R7000. Wildlands spoke to a few of the community members (Waste-preneurs) and asked them how they felt.
“This is an exciting day for me because my hard work has paid off. I plan to collect more recyclable waste in order to buy more groceries so that my family never goes to bed hungry again,” said Thobile Janet Mthembu, a Waste-preneur from Umbilo.
Waste-preneur Ntombikanina Zikalala from Cato Manor was over the moon, “this is such a blessing for me because this will feed my whole family as no one is employed, we rely on my pension most of the time but I’m very grateful to have joined this project. I make a difference in my community while earning a living for my family too,” Zikalala concluded.
WILDTRUST (registered as the Wildlands Conservation Trust - IT No: 4329/1991/PMB)