This photo taken on April 21, 2026 shows products made from recycled materials at a workshop in Manshiyat Naser, also known as Garbage City, in Cairo, Egypt. At the foot of the Mokattam mountains in Cairo lies Manshiyat Naser, a densely populated settlement widely known as “Garbage City,” home to Zabbaleen, or “garbage collectors” in Egyptian Arabic.
Over decades, the Zabbaleen have developed one of the world’s most efficient informal recycling systems. Their work revolves around collecting, sorting and repurposing garbage, forming the backbone of a vast, largely manual recycling network.
The Association for the Protection of the Environment (APE), an Egyptian non-governmental organization, has been working with the community. One of its key initiatives is a workshop center, which now employs women and equips them with skills in design, sewing, weaving and ironing. Through training, they transform discarded materials into quilts, bedspreads, rugs and bags.
The initiative not only provides a stable source of income, but also empowers women and promotes sustainable practices, contributing to both community development and environmental protection. (Xinhua/Xin Mengchen)
This photo taken on April 21, 2026 shows products made from recycled materials at a workshop in Manshiyat Naser, also known as Garbage City, in Cairo, Egypt. (Xinhua/Xin Mengchen)
A child is seen at Manshiyat Naser, also known as Garbage City, in Cairo, Egypt, on April 21, 2026.(Xinhua/Xin Mengchen)
Children play at Manshiyat Naser, also known as Garbage City, in Cairo, Egypt, on April 21, 2026.(Xinhua/Xin Mengchen)
A worker makes a ring buckle bag made from can tabs at a workshop in Manshiyat Naser, also known as Garbage City, in Cairo, Egypt, on April 21, 2026.(Xinhua/Xin Mengchen)
People recycle garbage at Manshiyat Naser, also known as Garbage City, in Cairo, Egypt, on April 21, 2026.(Xinhua/Xin Mengchen)
A worker makes a handbag from waste fabric at a workshop in Manshiyat Naser, also known as Garbage City, in Cairo, Egypt, on April 21, 2026.(Xinhua/Xin Mengchen)
A worker filters the pulp at a workshop in Manshiyat Naser, also known as Garbage City, in Cairo, Egypt, on April 21, 2026.(Xinhua/Xin Mengchen)
A worker makes a notebook using waste fabric at a workshop in Manshiyat Naser, also known as Garbage City, in Cairo, Egypt, on April 21, 2026.(Xinhua/Xin Mengchen)
A man recycles empty cans at Manshiyat Naser, also known as Garbage City, in Cairo, Egypt, on April 21, 2026.(Xinhua/Xin Mengchen)
A child stands next to recycled empty plastic bottles at Manshiyat Naser, also known as Garbage City, in Cairo, Egypt, on April 21, 2026.(Xinhua/Xin Mengchen)
A worker makes a ring buckle bag made from can tabs at a workshop in Manshiyat Naser, also known as Garbage City, in Cairo, Egypt, on April 21, 2026.(Xinhua/Xin Mengchen)
