Ninety-five percent of this write-up is factual, i have seen many of it; on my way to work and back. The remaining 5% is for adventure purpose as you could exercise the imaginary powers of your brains and imagine the life this folks lives on daily basis in a story, the story of a once upon a time Giant of Africa; the lands flowing with Natural resources(Milk and Honey as it was called) but never accessible to the common man. That is, underutilized resources which an average citizens could not benefit from it's affluence.
Colonial masters had caused this mess, foreign powers had created this massive vacuum between the Extremely Rich and extremely poor, the Struggle to survive which the Blockchain is poised to offset in due time!
As it is done in the Waste Land...
Scavenging is a global art, it is done all over the regions of the World both locally and industrially. The difference is that, some lively-hood depends on it; without a daily activity- No Meals!
Life in the Wasteland is completely different from a regular life. A life defied by average human standards; a life of hard-work with zero or little chances of success and a life of fun and Freedom. Freedom from unemployment sagas, a life free of Bills and Rents.
Scavenging is an adventure and a job, with no age barriers and no qualification except your strength and ability to linger on in hope which gives you more experience as days turns into months; this is what pays well! Both young and old wakes early as 4:00am waiting for fresh crops of wastes from refuse trucks coming in from the inner city. There is hierarchy in the Wastelands, the veterans scavenge first and then the rookies turn.
In Africa, the most popular materials that this scavenging folks search for and sell to make a living ranges from Metals to Plastics, Tin foils, Copper wires/Cables, Aluminium, used/damaged electrical devices/electronics components with damaged mobile devices. No guaranteed income/earnings and yet this are "the most passionate workers the World as ever seen"
Some of the hardworking boys, girls, older adults make approximately $31.7 on a very good day, while on a very bad day no dime is made. Not considering the risk involved; severe injuries and exposures to terrible diseases from this dumpsites. Since there is no standard amount to be earned daily, some earn just $0.63 in a day so its a game of sheer luck and hard work plus experience.
Amazingly some of this folks puts to good use the funds generated from the dumpsite. A few wants to use the money to fund their college dreams, some trying to raise capital and start a more decent business while other sets of people eats it all. They pay no tax to the Government directly but pay tips/bribe to dumpsites Government officials as a form of Rent/lease to scavenge on this lands.
In some larger dumpsites, shanties and man made huts could be seen visibly from drone footage, in the nights; different activities could be seen by these wasteland inhabitants just to keep their spirits up and give them some sense of purpose.
These are passionate citizens who had chosen a dirty life over a life of crime and troubles...
