Blanca Pulupa has been a recycler in Ecuador for 25 years, manually sifting through garbage and working in harsh conditions.
But a new local startup "Reci Veci" powered by the 100+ Accelerator program, now makes her job easier and safer … Here’s how.
But a new local startup "Reci Veci" powered by the 100+ Accelerator program, now makes her job easier and safer … Here’s how.
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00:00We walk in squares and squares, carrying the tostadas on our shoulders or on our backs.
00:06More or less from 60 to 80 kilos, which includes the bottle of beer.
00:13It's hard and heavy work, but we, as women, are very brave. We don't give up.
00:30We work here in the Republic of El Salvador from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.,
00:45collecting all the material for each building.
00:49At 10.30 p.m., we load a truck and take it to the collection center.
00:56We have to classify everything in its place,
01:00and then return it to the companies to be resold again.
01:06When it comes to handling the garbage, there are syringes, glasses,
01:11sometimes they throw the dog's poop, diapers.
01:15We are willing to find all that in the garbage can.
01:25RECIBESI
01:27RECIBESI
01:29RECIBESI
01:31RECIBESI
01:33RECIBESI
01:35RECIBESI started as a volunteering initiative about seven years ago.
01:40When we worked with a group of citizens in a workshop,
01:44we met all of the people that were at RECIBESI at the time.
01:49In that meeting, in that workshop, we had the presence of the leaders,
01:53the women leaders of Ecuador, of the National Grassroots Recyclers Association or Federation.
01:59I have always been concerned about environmental problems and about social problems,
02:03so I think RECIBESI was the perfect combination for solving both in one project.
02:20The main strategy, and probably the most scalable one,
02:24is the creation of a mobile application, the RECI-app.
02:27In this application, we already have more than 700 grassroot recyclers mapped,
02:32so citizens register their local grassroot recycler,
02:35and then they register every time they deliver them the material already separated
02:40and directly to their grassroot recyclers' hands.
02:43Since grassroot recyclers get the material already separated from each of citizens' homes,
02:49they don't have to open garbage bins, they don't have to expose themselves to dangerous conditions.
03:07Grassroot recyclers with RECIBESI are 200% more efficient
03:11than what they used to be before,
03:14and they recover even up to 300% more material than what they used to recover before.
03:20So that's a really good impact on their livelihoods.
03:41It was a total change.
03:43Well, I feel happy because my work already has value,
03:47like any other job, like a lawyer, an architect.
03:51It's nice when someone tells you,
03:53hey Blanca, come and take your recycling,
03:55or how are you doing, how was your day?
03:58Well, it feels good.
04:12What advice would you give to your neighbors?
04:20Well, to all the neighbors in the world who are watching me,
04:24I would ask them to be aware,
04:28to think about the recyclers who are on the streets,
04:32to take care of the recycling,
04:34so that they don't continue to manipulate the garbage,
04:36because we are at great risk in every way.
04:39I want a total change for the future,
04:42if our children follow in our footsteps.