Inside the CooperLimpa warehouse. Photo credit: WIEGO.
In the beginning of April of this year, officials from the South African Department of the Environment (chemical and waste management branches) were in Brazil and Colombia to learn about inclusive solid waste management. The delegates went straight to the heart of the the Brazilian movement, to its headquarters in São Paulo.
They continued on to Belo Horizonte, where they visited a cooperative and met with members of the Municipal Waste and Citizenship Forum. Their last stop in Brazil was Diadema, in the industrial belt of São Paulo, where they visited a cooperative, learned from waste pickers and city leaders about the city’s participatory waste management model, and also met with the mayor.
Their final stop in Latin America was Colombia, where they met with the Association of Recyclers of Colombia, whose court victory and long struggle has recently resulted in the recyclers being responsible city’s recycling collection and processing and receiving payment as service providers. The learning exchange was facilitated by Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing (WIEGO). More coming soon about the Diadema visit!
Maria Mônica da Silva, waste picker at CooperLimpa cooperative, speaks with the South African delegation (Nolwazi Cobbinah, Mamosa Afrika, Pamela Nyuswa) and Diadema government official Patricia. Photo credit: WIEGO.
Waste pickers’ network leader Ariane on the left and Maria Mônica da Silva, of CooperLimpa, on the right. Photo credit: WIEGO.
The South African delegates visiting CooperLimpa with Maria Mônica da Silva as their guide. Photo credit: WIEGO.
Denise Ventrici, director of Diadema’s environment department, meeting with South African delegation and Mônica da Silva at CooperLimpa cooperative. Photo credit: WIEGO.
Cooperlimpa representatives with South African delegates Mamosa Afrika, Nolwazi Cobbinah, and Pamela Nyuswa.
South African government delegates at waste pickers’ cooperative CooperLimpa in Diadema with municipal officials and waste picker leaders to learn about participatory and inclusive waste management models. Photo credit: WIEGO.
Inside the CooperLimpa warehouse. Photo credit: WIEGO.
At the Sala Verde, or Green Room, where the environment department of Diadema took the delegation first for a reception presentation about the workings of Diadema’s waste management program. Photo credit: WIEGO.
Group photo in front of the greenhouse in the city’s botanical garden. Photo credit: WIEGO.
Nolwazi Cobbinah speaking with Diadema Mayor Lauro Michel during lunch. Photo credit: WIEGO.
CooperLimpa cooperative members and the Nolwazi Cobbinah of South Africa with Diadema Mayor Lauro Michels. Photo credit; WIEGO.
City officials of Diadema, including Mayor Lauro Michels, with the South African delegation and members of CooperLimpa cooperative. Photo credit; WIEGO.
CooperLimpa and the South African delegates at the cooperative. Photo credit: WIEGO.
Maria Mônica da Silva speaks with the South African delegates. Photo courtesy: WIEGO.
Discussing Diadema’s inclusive model at CooperLimpa cooperative. Photo credit: WIEGO.
Nolwazi Cobbinah, of the South African Department of the Environment, invites Diadema to come to South Africa to continue discussing inclusive models. Photo credit: WIEGO.
The Diadema environment department set up a recycling and composting project at the city’s botanical gardens. Photo credit: WIEGO.
