THE SCAVENGERS AND THE WASTELAND; AN AFRICAN UNTALENTED WAY TO SURVIVE!
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...
"Whatsoever your hand findeth, do it well"
Hope you are having a pretty nice weekend all over the World Steemians. Below are the links to some of my latest posts. I appreciate all the supports i have gotten from you all!
THAT AWKWARD MOMENT #18 - "A TIME TO BE SILENT AND A TIME TO SPEAK"
SPORTS AND CRYPTOS- THE MASS ADOPTION ARISING
Tears of a Soldier- A Poem
My Definition of PhD- Determined in Attitude and Spirit!
A FOOLS QUEST TO RULE STEEMLAND: LEARN FROM STEEMIANS ALL OVER THE WORLD, TO BE RELEVANT HERE IS NOT A TUG OF WAR!
GREEN WORLD; A PLANET WITHOUT WASTE NEMESIS
The gods, Mammon you pay no attention to in the present Time!
FOLLOW-UPVOTE-RESTEEM AND MAYBE DROP A SUPPORTING OR CONTRARY COMMENT.....It's your friendly Neighbor @oluwoleolaide for Steem-Lagos-Nigeria-Africa-World!
Badge courtesy of @jodi.pamungka Animated Footer by @rituparnaghosh
Why do people hoard money instead of helping others. Why does our country invest 250 million a day in wars when that money could help the disadvantaged. I do not get the world. Thank you for your post and I send 🇳🇬 prayers to Nigeria
thank you friends have shared this post, I am sad to see a scavenger looking for food sober tirelessly, for the sake of life ??? 😢
life is a journey .Their Journey is similar to those who have to spend the cost of living.
We're all a floating boat that only conforms with the waves themselves, our job is to do it
That's wise, we have to conform but we could take charge of our destiny at times...
This is so true...some of them make good money once in a while if they are able to pack enough irons and metals..some go from streets to streets too, getting unused metals, some buying and reselling.
Only those who get iron, metal or plastic make good money i believe..
This is part of honest hustling in Nigeria
Thanks for sharing...
Most welcome @ponmile
I have a lot of respect for this guys...
Hmm...Life of a scavenger.
Despite the hurdles and seemingly unsurmountable challenges, they still push ahead and do the job dutifully.
It's an adventurous adventure.
Nigerians are dogmatic and portray the "never give up mark" anywhere
What is worth doing is worth doing well
Exactly my friend...
Vote my posting pleaseeee
Good.. you are very good genius post you can be a good example for other steem users. thanks for sharing post ..
Those guys are the real hustlers. Good work, and i like the fact that you are putting Africa right on the blockchain. If you are chanced you could read through my series on Africa as well.
Good.. you are very good genius post you can be a good example for other steem users. thanks for sharing post ..
Funny enough, scavenging has really put food on the table of its adventurers who finds delightfulness in it and never ready to give it up for anything owing to the much freedom they derive in it unlike the other bossy office jobs lifestyle.
It has been a major source of daily bread to a lot of youths in the Northern regions. What more could they ask for??
I once came in contact with a scavenger early last year and in a bid to know how much he would be willing to quit the job, had he met opportunity of education up to my education level and serve his fathers land as under NYSC. To my greatest surprise he laughed craziness out of himself, telling me with bold confidence that his work is even capable of employing me himself. Although i was mad at that point but on a second thought, i took his response as self defence like that of a wounded lion defending his territory from enemies attack. But in all i respected the pride and confidence he had over his scavenging job.