(Singapore) Project Urban Recycler – A National Project started by Border Mission Singapore that is aimed to aid the Cardboard Collectors of Singapore’s Community.
From foldable hairbrushes (great for the purse), cotton buds, cotton pads, to hair ties, bobby pins, facial masks, body loofahs, to travel-sized travel-sized shampoos, soaps, and other toiletry and personal care items, what should we do with those unused hotel toiletries ?
Scavenging To Survive : Cardboard Collectors Community in Singapore
The Cardboard Collectors are indeed Singapore’s “Urban Recyclers”.
A community in Singapore made up mostly of elderly people who walk the city streets looking for disposed of cardboard. Selling their hauls to recycling companies to make a profit.
These Urban Recyclers face many difficulties challenges on a day-to-day basis such as walking long distances from street to street in search for cardboards, working odd hours and unable to seek help from people. All this work for a sum of cash in return.
However, the rate of returns they receive is not always the same. Rates for cardboard exchange is constantly changing based on the traders they engage with. 1 kilograms of cardboard can go as low as 4 cents which means with a rate as low as this, this elderly cardboard collector (reference to image above) will receive 40 cents in exchange for 10 kilograms of cardboard!
Project Urban Recycler: Making A difference One Trolley At A Time
Identifying the struggles of the Cardboard Collector community in Singapore, Border Mission has taken the initiative to address this with Project Urban Recycler. A National Project for Singapore’s community to contribute and make a difference in the lives of these elderly citizens.
Efficiency through Practicality. Pushing a load of cardboard from street to street is no simple task.
Sourcing for the perfect trolley for the Cardboard collectors took an immense amount of research as there are many factors and concerns when it comes to providing them with a trolley that is effective for their work.
With 1000 trolleys to give out to the cardboard collectors, it is not an easy task to give them out. As these Cardboard collectors are not tech savvy and can be quite difficult to reach out to through modern modes of communication (social media, WhatsApp etc.), Border Mission has been on the ground in search of them and personally talked to them to understand more about their personal lives, issues as well as what makes an efficient trolley for their work.
Project Urban Recycler hopes to remind the public of this forgotten community by giving them a perspective and understanding of these collectors. Encouraging the youths to participate in helping the communities in Singapore and with the awareness of this project, improve the Cardboard collectors’ earnings in the long run.
Project Urban Recycler has been on going since November 2020. Border Mission has successfully reached out to the Cardboard collector community and has seen an increasing number of volunteers over the months.
How To Play Your Part In This Movement
Border Mission has been actively seeking Recycling Trader Companies, volunteers & cardboard collectors for collaborations and information to make this project as effective as possible.
Border Mission welcomes anyone to join in and be a part of this National Project to help the Cardboard Collectors. Let’s give a helping hand to the Cardboard Collectors of Singapore and improve their lives one step at a time.
ABOUT BORDER MISSION :
Border Mission serves, empowers, and brings hope to the future of the unreached and forgotten people in Singapore and Himalayas
