ATAKA Waste Collectors

Nakuru, Kenya

Primary information

Year formed

1998

Formally registered

No

Type of members

Waste picker support organization

Occupation of members

Waste collectors

Type of Organization

Sole trader and/or business

Organizational Reach

Local

Workplace of members

Sorting center

Membership

No

Objectives

Improve livelihoods

Funding

Loans, Self funded

Women composition

Social networking sites

Benefits

Safety & Technology

No

Services

Types of materials

Bones, Glass, Metals, Plastics, Shoe soles

Are they selling to middlemen?

Yes

Activities

Selling materials, Transportation, Waste collection, Waste sorting

Challenges to access waste

Harassment from authorities, Lack of infrastructure & resources, Price fluctuations of waste, Transportation

Complementary Information

Information source

Africa 2009

Comments / Narrative

Ataka Waste Collectors business was formed in 1998 as a livelihood income generating activity for Mr. Zachariah Ateka. He aimed to be self employed. Between February – April 1998, he was employed in a waste reclaiming business in Nakuru earning Ksh. 1,500.00 per month. Zachariah thereafter quit the job and started his business using a bicycle to collect and transport various reclaimed waste materials to sell to buyers. Initially he started off with a working capital of Ksh. 3,000.00. After a long period operating as a mobile waste reclaimer, Zachariah settled down at GTZ – Bondeni informal sector Jua kali sheds where he hired one room as a buying and consolidation centre for his business. His business is not yet registered.