The Original Project…
A Recycle Swop Shop for Kids
The “Recycle Swop Shop for Kids” was intitiated in 2003 in response to the bitter reality that many children in the Kwasa Kwasa area of Zwelihle Township near Hermanus were sitting apathetically in the streetside without benefit of the very basics: soap, toiletpaper and food. The only thing that the children had access to was the garbage that surrounded them. “What can be done without funding, power or authority?”
That is when the idea was born. The idea took shape. Blessed to have a recycling buyback centre “Walker Bay Recycling” on our doorstep, the plan materialized. As the owner of an accommodation facility, and part of a community with much more, there was access to soap, towels and certainly a shop or two could be convinced to donate toilet paper. As the idea was shared, used clothing, apples and milk were donated. Children were encouraged to collect tins, plastics and glass bottles to trade for useful and fun things at the shop. (Paper and cardboard were not considered waste in the township, they were used as insulation material or fire starters.) Initially, it began with encouraging anyone 12 years or younger to come, for this was the age group seen on the streets. But any child or adolescent who would carry a bag of recyclables were welcomed and could “buy” something at the “Recycle Swop Shop”.
At first, the shop supplied only items of personal hygiene and used clothing. The donation and the kindness of supporters increased the variety of stock that the “shop” could provide. School supplies were added to the supply and then later a Dutch charity, Stichting Projecten Zuid-Afrika, enabled us to supply school uniforms. The shop provided:
Personal Items: toilet paper, soap, face “lappies”, toothbrushs, toothpaste,
School Supplies: everything a school age child might need
Clothes & Shoes: both used and new as donation enables
Toys & Books: through donation
But this was not all.
Children who attended received a snack. At first, donors provided milk, or bread, a local farmer donated apples in season. Weekly donation from a local bakery ensures us a continuous supply and on occasion donors provide soup on those cold days of winter. At year end, the children’s collections for that week give them entrance to the annual Christmas party.
The program operates one afternoon a week from approximately 2:30 to 4 pm at Hou Moed Centre. It operates solely through volunteerism, donation of provision (financially & in kind) from local residents. interested visitors and international donors. Over 100 tons of recycling has been diverted from our landfill site through the collection of children and since its inception.
How Does it work?
Every Wednesday afternoon, children bring bags of tins, bottles, plastics and other recyclable material from the streets, to the Hou Moed Centre in Zwelihle (Hermanus). The children receive a ticket with a point value relating to the volume or weight of the sorted material they bring. Children then go to the “shop”. At this point, they queue to wait for their turn in the shop. There they can redeem their points for a variety of items: school supplies, toiletries, used or new clothing and shoes, toys or books (whatever may be donated). The redeeming of points works as follows: one point will purchase a balloon, two points a pencil, three points a roll of toilet paper, five points a face cloth and so on. Used clothing is also made available in the same way. The more valuable the items, the higher the price, just like a real store. But there is always something for everyone and no one leaves emptyhanded. The children have the option to ‘save up’ or bank points to buy more expensive items, if they wish. “Earn a School Uniform” pilot project was initiated in 2005.. While the Recycle Swop Shop is not directly involved in getting children registered for school, the project, through monitoring what items are chosen identifies children not attending (identification for intervention). Making school supplies available helps to keep kids in school.
Additional projects such a hikes, outings to the recycling plant, boat trips, swimming excursions, movies, flower shows, and trips up the mountain have all provided excitement and reward for effort. The special events seek to expose children to places and events to educate & sensitize them further to their issues facing their community and environment. At one stage The Young Entreprenureal Award was used to recognized acheivement. Special draws were done to encouraged particiaption and attendance.
As mentioned, the Recycle Swop Shop operates solely through volunteerism. A loyal crew of adult monitors oversee the project’s operation each week at the collection yard and in the shop itself. These monitors mentor our teen volunteers who serve the children and bridge the language barrier to explain and encourage the children in the routines, responsibilities and rules of the shop.
Local clubs & businesses have become “willing partners” in supporting and spreading the word of the project to others. Some of our most loyal are: Fruit & Veg City (bakery items every week), Hermanus Rotary Anns (knitted items and financial contribution), Overstrand Municipality (plastic bags for collections & financial) Maxitec (website www.swop-shop.za.net ), Walker Bay Recycling (collects material each week and provides a payback scheme), Nampac (toilet tissue) and Hou Moed Centre (premises).
In deciding the form and function of your RSS project, in everything ask yourself: “What are we promoting or teaching by doing this or implementing that?” In the longrun this saves a great deal of time, energy and disappointment.
