iThemba PhakamaProvides tricycles and safety equipment to an association of waste-pickers



Through no-cost lease agreements, iThemba Phakama provides informal waste pickers with safety gear and robust, locally manufactured tricycles for transporting waste. The enterprise is financed through advertising on the side of the tricycles. The members of iThemba Phakama make a monthly contribution until they have saved enough to fund their own tricycle.
This model allows new members to enter once existing members have their own tricycles. It also enables waste-pickers to become individual micro-entrepreneurs, who salvage recycling waste and sell it to buy-back centres.
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Partners
iThemba Phakama Co-operative leases the tricycles to its members.
iThemba Labantu is the local community centre that initiated iThemba Phakama and is the home base (hub) of the co-operative’s operations.
Western Cape Government’s Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning (DEA&DP) provided initial funding and technical assistance for scoping and project implementation.
DEA&DP, Uhambo Shonaquip and Phahama Pedal Power manufacture, maintain and supply the tricycles at reduced retail price to iThemba Phakama.
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2017 SAG-SEED Awards is supported by the SWITCH-Africa Green project, which is implemented by UNEP with the assistance of the European Union.