newspaper recycling livelihood programs

Where to go to help keep paper garbage in check while helping poor Filipino communities at the same time? Now there are a few options: there are groups making banig-type bags and baskets/boxes out of recycled newspapers & directories as livelihood projects and sources of alternative income.

The techniques are simple: Newspapers & old directory paper are rolled or folded into strips or strands, woven & finished by hand to create strong but lightweight carryalls. Taking a waste product and using it to create something else - this is recycling in its simplest form!

Alay Kapwa Tindahan, Inc.
alaykapwainc@skyinet.net
+632.5261395


This is the income-generating organizational arm of Alay Kapwa ("dedicated to one's neighbor"), whose aim is to "improve the lives of the urban poor by providing them with opportunities in livelihood & spiritual growth." Founded by 5 Good Shepherd sisters, "Alay Kapwa aspires for each of its urban poor communities to become self-sustaining and caring, responsive to the nation's problems, and facilitative to the needs and aspirations of the poor." It promotes human dignity by creating opportunities for economic, social and environmental transformation, turning these communities away from despair, drugs, crime, abuse and other vices.

Products include recycled directory bags (shown here) & recycled foil pack bags. The directory bags are very similar to the ubiquitous native Filipino banig bags, and I reckon are just as durable and "cool", i.e. safe to take to the beach and leave under the sun without sunblock melting inside, thanks to the permeability characteristic of basket weaves.

The Alay Kapwa communities are located in Manila (Leveriza, Paco, Pandacan, Maria Orosa), Cavite (General Trias, Paliparan), Quezon (Sariaya), Danao (Villa Abono) and Cebu (Basak).

To get more information or to view the entire product line, click here.

D'yario
dyanibee@msn.com
Ms. Lulu Ocampo +63916.2118968

Founded by Milagros Trinidad Puyat, voted among the 100 Outstanding Scholasticans and a leader in the garment industry, D'yario was the livelihood project for the poor communities in Mandaluyong (Metro Manila) in cooperation with Mayor Benhur Abalos.

Now it has grown to become a livelihood project for patients of the National Center for Mental Health.

BaZura

Since their Facebook description was so comprehensive, I decided to just paste it here =):

"BaZura Biz aims to spark a worldwide fashion trend recycling post-consumer products into utilitarian items, thus keeping hundreds of tons of non-biodegradable items from landfills.

We estimate that millions of juice containers are thrown in the trash every day in the Philippines, and hundreds more litter the streets. Until we find a way to recycle them, or stop using this material altogether, we would like to reuse as many empty drink containers as possible and, in the process, support fair trade.

BaZura Biz partners with a women’s co-op in the Philippines. The co-op, officially established in 1999, began as an Environmental and Livelihood Project assisted by the local village council. Virtually starting from scratch, these enterprising women devised a brilliant way to support themselves and their families while cleaning up their village streets.

Every day, children from the local schools collect over 50,000 used drink containers, called doy packs and sell them to the co-op. The packs are thoroughly sanitized and then sewn or woven into durable, attractive bags and accessories.

"Unlike other third world factory workers, who are toiling away in sweatshops, these women are entrepreneurs and shareholders." says Larry Duprey, the founder of Bazura Biz. "They work for themselves and have a positive impact on their community and, at the same time, they encourage environmentalism. We are proud to promote their enterprise," adds Duprey.

The co-op provides livelihood to over 800 women. Due to employment conditions in the Philippines, most of these women are the primary breadwinners for their families, supporting husbands and children. The co-op also employs a dozen or so men, husbands and sons of co-op shareholders, who work alongside their wives and mothers as drivers, packers, and warehousemen. If not for the co-op’s entrepreneurship, these families would be living in poverty.

Recently, the co-op has established a scholarship fund for members’ children. BaZura Biz is proud to donate 5 cents for every dollar they spend at the co-op to this scholarship fund. We are working to change the world, one bag at a time."

To see their range of products and to purchase online, click here.