Ethiopia’s “Korale” recyclers turn waste into money

With a tattered bag on his back, Dereje Enigdamekonen roamed the endless alleys of Addis Ababa’s Merkato market, calling out for the Ethiopian capital’s abundant junk.

“Coral, coral,” he called out at regular intervals.

It’s a made-up word in Amharic that is now used for thousands of collectors, almost exclusively men, who track down everything from used canisters and electronics to shoes, shovels and other unwanted knick-knacks.

These objects are then either restored, dismantled for replacement parts, or converted into something new – breathing new life into otherwise environmentally damaging waste.

Dereje, 45, has been doing this work for a year, rain or shine, and says he buys “anything that can be reused.”

He can get around 40 Birr ($0.30) for a kilogram of collected metal, and between three and 25 Birr for canisters, depending on the size.

“Waste can be turned into money,” he said with a smile.

After wandering for hours, the corals converged on an area of ​​Merkato called Minalesh Tera, which translates from Amharic to “What have you got?”

Here, the narrow streets of Merkato, one of Africa’s largest open-air markets, are lined with tiny tin shacks as far as the eye can see.

The recyclers sell their daily finds to middlemen like Tesfaye Getahun, who was dismantling a huge printer.

Using strong hammer blows, he isolated the motherboard and some aluminum parts.

From computers to old televisions, Tesfaye said he recycles everything.

“They are no longer used and if left as they are, they can pollute the environment. But if they are dismantled and sold as spare parts, it will help prevent pollution,” he said.

According to 2020 data from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Addis Ababa produces about 400,000 tons of waste annually, of which only 70 percent is captured by the official waste management system.

– “Helping the environment” –

Tamirat Dejene was almost lost among stacks of canisters in his shop.

The 21-year-old, who has been collecting plastic for four years, said he earns between 500 and 1,000 birr ($4 to $8.50) a day.

That could be a godsend in a country where, according to the World Bank, more than a third of its 120 million people live below the poverty line.

“We make a living and also help the environment because these items are not biodegradable,” Tamirat said.

“It is also beneficial for Addis Ababa: if this waste were not collected, the city’s landfills would overflow. This is how we make a living while providing a solution,” he added.

The objects made in Minalesh Tera are then sold in stores in the capital and across the country.

Some go even further.

Biruk Shimeles, 31, buys scrap metal to make aluminum coal stoves, which he sells in Sudan, Djibouti and Somalia.

“This work protects the community from waste by turning it into a business opportunity,” Biruk said.

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