Before the city wakes up, Asha is already on her feet. She wraps her scarf tightly, lifts her sack over her shoulder, and begins walking through the narrow alleys of Dar es Salaam. She knows exactly where to go—places where bottles, plastics, and scrap metals pile up unnoticed by most, but not by her. For Asha, waste is not filth; it is her livelihood.
Every day, Asha collects recyclables from markets, streets, and bins. She sells her finds to local middlemen, earning just enough to buy food and pay rent for her single room. Some days are good, others not. If it rains, the streets flood and work stops. If prices drop, her income shrinks. Yet, for all her effort, Asha is not formally recognised. She has no employment contract, no social security, and no insurance. Her job is essential, but invisible. “Sometimes people look at us like we are dirty,” Asha says. “But we are the ones keeping this city clean.”
For years, Asha worked without understanding how to save, budget, or grow her earnings. She kept money under her mattress and often spent everything in a few days. She had no bank account, and the idea of approaching a bank felt intimidating.
In the city of Dar es Salaam, waste pickers play an indispensable role in maintaining urban cleanliness and supporting the recycling ecosystem. Yet, despite their critical contribution to environmental sustainability, waste pickers remain largely invisible in formal systems. They work informally, often facing stigma, unsafe working conditions, and inconsistent income, without access to the very systems that could support their growth and security.
Most waste pickers in Dar es Salaam earn their income through the collection and sale of recyclable materials, plastics, scrap metals, and cardboard to intermediaries or local recycling centers. Their daily income is modest and unpredictable, and due to a lack of financial knowledge and access to banking systems, many struggle to save or plan for the future. With no access to credit, investment opportunities, or secure saving mechanisms, the cycle of poverty and exclusion persists. One of the most persistent gaps in the empowerment of waste pickers is financial literacy, a foundational skill that remains out of reach for many. Without understanding how to budget, save, or invest, even the hardest-working individuals face constant vulnerability. Recognising this, Juza Waste Pickers Initiative (JWPI), in collaboration with Equity Bank Tanzania, organized a financial literacy training tailored specifically for waste pickers in Dar es Salaam. “We believe in the dignity of every job that protects our environment,” shared Abela G. Muyungi, Acting Zonal Manager, NEMC Ilala. “These training do more than build knowledge, they build bridges of respect between waste pickers and the systems that should serve them.”
This training was not just a classroom session, it was a life-changing opportunity. Waste pickers learned practical skills in budgeting, saving strategies, group saving schemes (VICOBA), accessing banking services, and long-term financial planning. These are not just theoretical tools, but vital pathways for individuals to transform their earnings into sustainable livelihoods. “Financial literacy is a tool of liberation for waste pickers,” said Nasib Kitabu, Founder and Director of Juza Waste Pickers Initiative (JWPI). “It strengthens their ability to plan for a better future, fully participate in socio-economic development, and build a life of dignity.”
The act of bringing waste pickers together in a formal training space is revolutionary. It affirms their identity and value as workers, connects them with decision-makers, and helps lay the groundwork for formal recognition by local and national institutions. Grit G. Mwimanzi, Environmental Ambassador from the Vice President’s Office (Union and Environment), emphasized the bigger picture: “Inclusion of waste pickers in financial systems is not just about economics—it’s about environmental justice. When they thrive, our sustainability goals thrive too.”
The story of Asha changed after this training organised by Juza Waste Pickers Initiative (JWPI) in collaboration with Equity Bank Tanzania. For the first time, she sat in a room filled with other waste pickers, people just like her. They were welcomed with respect, given pens and notebooks, and taught about saving, budgeting, mobile banking, and group saving schemes. Asha learned how to open a bank account and how to plan her spending. She joined a VICOBA group with others from her community. Now, she’s saving little by little, with hopes of starting her own plastic sorting center one day.
Mahija Waziri, Secretary of Juza Waste Pickers Initiative (JWPI), noted: “We’ve seen firsthand how access to basic financial knowledge changes perspectives. Waste pickers begin to see themselves not just as survivors, but as contributors, planners, and entrepreneurs.”
This powerful training also created space for waste pickers to share experiences, learn from one another, and begin forming saving groups and cooperatives, a key step in their journey towards formalisation and unionisation. It’s an entry point to bigger things: inclusion in national safety nets, access to loans, formal work IDs, and ultimately, recognition in policy and law.
The story of Asha is the story of thousands—working hard in silence, without safety or security. But things are changing. We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to Equity Bank Tanzania Limited for their unwavering commitment to financial inclusion. By empowering waste pickers with essential knowledge, you have become part of a growing movement that sees waste not as a problem, but as a solution and those who work with it as champions of sustainability. Together, we are reshaping the future—one empowered waste picker at a time.
