Soweto woman sees gap, turns waste into a business that now employs 12

The hardworking team of Trash2Treasure Recycling and Waste Management,turning waste into hope every day.

Zahra Fridie/Supplied

Like many moms,Nokuthula Tshabalala had to get creative to find a way to feed her family when times were tough.Today,her business,Trash2Treasure,employs 12 people,collecting and sorting waste from landfills and selling it to buy-back centres.It was not an easy journey,but it proved to her that waste is not the end but can be a beginning and an opportunity.Soweto’s Nokuthula Tshabalala can recall the moment that inspired her to start her own business: she realised how much waste was being dumped in landfills while many people in her community struggled to make a living.

And in her own life,her own struggles were coming to the fore too,recalling how her son hesitated to ask for something he wanted because he knew money was tight.

It was then that two ideas merged together.

“That moment lit a fire in me to build a business that could provide for my family and give back to the community,” Tshabalala said.

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Together with her family,they collected waste by hand,working from their own pockets,and then sold it to buy-back centres.

Today,her business employs 12 staff members who sort waste from landfills – primarily plastics,paper,and cans – and thus Trash2Treasure Recycling and Waste Management was born.

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But it wasn’t an easy journey,said Tshabalala,who described the early days as an uphill battle.

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“The biggest challenge was resources. We had no funding,no equipment,and very little support initially. I worked with my family,brothers,and even our children during school holidays to get things moving.”

Tshabalala said her family would collect waste by hand and pay for it from their own pockets.

“Overcoming that required resilience,asking for help where possible,and showing people that our actions had value. Bit by bit,people started to believe in us,and doors started to open,” Tshabalala explained.

Asked how Trash2Treasure began,Tshabalala said:

“I started a few years ago with almost nothing but determination. At first,it was just small collections in my township,sorting plastics,papers,and cans. I wanted to keep my community clean and show people that waste is not the end of the story,but the beginning.”

She added that over time,the passion grew into Trash2Treasure Recycling and Waste Management,and now they are not just cleaning communities,but also turning that waste into opportunity.

Celebrating community and teamwork: The Trash2Treasure team making recycling a joyous effort.

Zahra Fridie/Supplied

Tshabalala is particularly proud that Trash2Treasure has created jobs for women and youth across South Africa,giving dignity and purpose to people who felt overlooked.

“We have had employees who came in with no hope of ever finding steady work. Through recycling,they now not only earn an income but have also become environmental ambassadors in their own communities,” she said.

“Beyond employment,our school programmes,especially with deaf schools,have changed lives. Seeing the joy on those children’s faces as they learn that they,too,have a voice in protecting the environment is priceless,” she added.

WATCH | Durban recycling plant turns long-life cartons from trash to treasure

Tshabalala said her proudest moment was when Fibre Circle,the producer responsibility organisation for the paper and paper packaging sector,mandated her to lead a six-month project visiting deaf schools in South Africa,educating learners about the importance of the environment and recycling.

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“Seeing those smiles on the faces of deaf children as they realise they can be part of protecting the planet is something I will never forget,” she said.

Looking to the future,Tshabalala remains grounded and motivated.

“My hope for the future is to scale up Trash2Treasure,create even more jobs,expand our recycling programmes,and continue being a voice for communities,especially marginalised ones,” Tshababala explained.

She ended by saying that she dreams of a South Africa where waste is not a burden but a resource,and where every child,hearing or deaf,grows up understanding their power to protect the environment.

If you have a good story to tell,email [email protected].

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