Supporting refuse sorters

Since 2001, Y Care International has supported a project for children, young people and their families, who are forced to work on a refuse site.

The refuse site is located in the shanty town of El Milagro in Trujillo. Working on the refuse site is extremely unsanitary and children, young people and their families are vulnerable to skin infections, respiratory problems, typhoid, and tetanus. Extreme poverty and lack of education has led to family breakdown, abuse and alcoholism. The refuse community experiences high levels of discrimination, very limited access to quality health care and education and little support from local government.

How we are helping
The project works to reduce the number of children and young people working on the refuse site and to reduce the level of extreme poverty in the community as a whole. Project activities include; supporting children to return to school, providing counselling and health promotion for families, and creating alternative ways of earning a living. Young people and their families take part in small animal rearing and small business management.

Young people, parents and local health and education workers participate in awareness raising activities on the rights of working children and adolescents.

In addition, regular training on civic education, advocacy and human rights is carried out with members of the Association of Refuse Sorters and other NGOs in Trujillo. This enables the development and implementation of joint advocacy initiatives, ensuring that the health and education rights of refuse sorters are met.

What we hope to achieve
By the end of the project, it is hoped that:

• 1,000 members of the refuse sorting community will have an improved understanding of their rights and are able to access quality education and health care
• Levels of discrimination towards refuse workers will be reduced
• Target families will be engaged in alternative, non-hazardous income generating activities