Collecting scraps for livelihood

Arbin Kumar, a 12-year-old kid, has been working in Nepal since his childhood.

As his father owns a scrap center in Kathmandu, Kumar works at the center as an accountant.

Over the years, Kumar says he has been slot of transformation in the center. What had started only as a scrap center is carpeting now. And since it was the first scrap center in that area of Tarkeshwor-13, the center is also well known by the community people.

Kumar said, “Recently we have five scrap collectors, due to the festivals, most of the workers have gone to their village.”

  “While there are not many scraps to collect in a festive time, beer bottles can be found in large numbers and we pay Rs 1 per bottle,” explains one of the collectors.

“So, I wake up early in the morning, then begin to collect the scraps. The whole day I almost cover all the area in Tarkeshwor. We do have a break and the center provides lunch,” he adds.

All the workers stay inside the center. The scrap center provides a separate rooms for them to cook food and sleep.