Recycled Paper

Cairo / Moqattam

"The Association for the Protection of the Environment is an institute based in Moqattam, Cairo. Their main work is generating products out of recycled paper. The process is all about collecting paper from donations, sorting them per color, chopping, developing the dough and putting it in frames and leaving them to dry. Back then in 1997, a group of youngsters by whom garbage was collected, were chosen to form a team to work with APE and for that to be their main paid job instead of them doing such a thing but in vain. So, one of the APE initiatives has been conducting a centre for workshops producing patchwork and recycled paper products. Starting by collecting rags from the textile mills and factories, the centre today teaches more than 250 young women how to sort, design, cut, sew, weave, iron and recycle these paper into cards, gift bags, bookmarks, accessories, and many more marketable items. Advantages have been spreading since then for both APE and Fair Trade Egypt, as we have been providing non-ending support for the association to be standing where it is right now. Fair Trade Egypt has been willing to help the unemployed group get real benefits from the job they were doing without a return, the collectors of women are now able to have sufficient income for a better living with the help of us exporting their products to both local and international venues."