How Recycling Is Helping Communities Raise From Poverty

Most people living in developed countries, such as the United States already recognize the benefits of recycling. However, the first task in making recycling an everyday event for the populations of the Third World is teaching them the reasons why you should recycle.

One of Africa’s most densely populated states, Lagos, Nigeria, presents a significant challenge in recyclable waste management. Lagos’ metropolitan area is a sprawling slum that contains Africa’s largest population, both by numbers and density, although it is the smallest African state by area. According to the World Population Review, nearly seventy percent of Lagos Metropolitan residents live in poverty.

Until 2012, recycling in Lagos was of no concern to anyone, although tons of waste, much of it recyclable obstructed gutters and streets creating flooding, disease, and stress for residents, exacerbating issues related to waste and poverty. Survival was the main consideration in Lagos, where many residents have “no access to clean water, waste disposal, electricity or roads.”

Enter an MIT-educated Lagos native, who after signing up for a “Development Ventures” course, nearly single-handedly converted the plague of waste in Lagos into income for its beset population. Bilikiss Adebiyi joined forces with her MIT classmate, Alexandra Fallon to launch “Wecyclers, an innovative way to clean up the streets of Lagos and simultaneously reward its residents for their efforts.

Deploying three-wheeled cargo bikes with soft recycling bins attached, local collectors gather recyclable waste, by pedaling door-to-door in Lagos’ poorest neighborhoods. The Wecycling schema not only employs cyclists and processing plant laborers, but distributes “points” to service “subscribers,” which can be redeemed for the necessities of life. Food, housewares, cell phones, and even appliances can be earned by collecting recycled material.

As of March 2015, Wecyclers has affected the lives of more than 30,000 Lagos residents, demonstrating the positive impact of effective recyclable waste management in areas plagued by waste and poverty. Implementing plans to expand throughout Nigeria, this innovative approach to recycling has lifted many who lived in severe poverty, from the streets of Nigeria to the reality of a better future.