Harvesting water lilies into cash
Garbage-feeding weed-like water lilies clog the river system, causing heavy floods that routinely damage property and cause illness in the Las Pinas district.
Entrepreneur Ophelia So, discovered that instead of disposing the water lilies, the stems could be used as raw materials for handicrafts.
Working with local officials, So hires about 20 workers to make baskets, bags, lamps and other products, which she exports to the U.S. and sells to local buyers. The workers earn about 200 pesos (US$4) each week. The products are for export all over the world.
Manila generates 8,000 tonnes of solid waste each day, and proper disposal facilities are not available in slum areas, many of which lie along rivers. Around 80 families live alongside the Zapote River, which runs 18 kilometers (18 miles) and connects to several tributaries.
The water lilies now provide income for a community of about 200 families, residents no longer curse their presence. Flooding has lessened, with the massive harvesting of lilies and continuous river dredging.
As local leaders work toward a pristine river, there are fears that the water lilies could dwindle and with them, the source of livelihood for dozens of families.
-I love the entrepreneurial spirit of the Filipinos!
No comments:
Post a Comment