15 Sep 2015

Some people may consider collection of cans as a laborious undertaking as one has to look for them under unfavourable weather conditions. But for Ms Semme Mogampane  cans have become a treasure. 

Ms Mogampane (67) has been collecting and selling cans for the past seven years to provide for her family. 

She said her business began in 2009 as she was driven by passion for clean environment. She said during her tenure as the chairperson of Parents and teachers association (PTA) in Metsimotlhabe Primary School, they urged the school to start collecting cans as a fundraising measure. 

She said the project ran for a number of years until it was aborted as it was not making a lot of money. She said she hanged onto the project and Collect-a-Can helped her with sacks and free transportation of the cans. Ms Mogampane said collecting cans was a great initiative, a treasure not only for herself but also the environment. 

Due to the love she has for her business, she wakes up early in the morning to collect cans around shops. She said some people collected the cans and kept them at their homes and call her to collect them. 

Ms Mogampane pointed out that she was happy to be recognised as a green ambassador for her work.

She saida Collect-a-can truck came for her collections every mont end.  She said aluminum tins were the most profitable as she could make more than P400 with four sacks. Ms Mogampane said she was able to sustain her family.

“It pays off as my children do not go to bed hungry, if there is anything lacking I am able to provide,” she said

She said one of the challenges she faced was lack of cooperation from some people as she often had to explain why she was collecting cans especially in their homes.

Ms Mogampane also noted that people especially children should be taught on issues of recycling. 

She said through this, people would begin to appreciate that what others dismissed as rubbish was actually a treasure and employment for others.She said not only will it teach people on the aspects of recycling, reuse and reduce but it would also help address issues of environmental conservation. Ends