Trash collection in residential areas

‘...Public service and utilities were never adequate even when Addis Ababa was a city of just one million inhabitants 25 years ago…

Ethiopia’s population has increased three fold over the last quarter century and now stands at over 77 million. The figure shoots up by at least 2 million each year. The population explosion has not been a rural only event and indeed, it is felt more in urban centers, particularly in Addis Ababa which now has over 5 million residents.
Public service and utilities were never adequate even when Addis Ababa was a city of just one million inhabitants 25 years ago. The capital still does not have a working sewage system nor is trash collection, our concern today, ever been at a satisfactory level. The collection of trash used to be a wholly state controlled activity which has only in recent years been privatized. In particular, the remarkable results of the work of youth organizing themselves in trash collection is appreciated.
No single grass roots economic activity has expanded so rapidly as the push cart collection of garbage from within the residential neighborhoods in Addis Ababa.
Such an honorable service that has promoted much needed rapid self-employment in our communities is a process to be supported by all those concerned about the safe keeping of the environment.
It is a result of enlightenment par excellence an effect of modern entrepreneurship influence. I am in the first line of people who should congratulate the initiators of the push-cart rubbish collection system. A practical and effective, albeit low-tech method, far better than the old wheelbarrow.
But, does one realize or feel how much one has to labor at the task? Yes, the youth, in carrying out such self-help activity do it with enthusiasm. Nevertheless, will there not be some way to lessen the burden of pushing the heavy two-wheeled cart other than by sheer enthusiasm?
Wouldn’t a three-wheeled cart be simpler to handle than the two-wheeled variety? Which one is more flexible, easy to push and stabler; the two- three- or the four-wheeled? To me the three wheeled carts appear simpler if they are designed in such a way that they are lighter, with slimmer tires and so that they can hold more trash.
Whatever the case might be, keeping the environment clean being so important, those who have some concern for ensuring the ecological balance can contribute to the idea of facilitating efficient garbage collection.
As the self-help programmes in the area of keeping our capital city clean should be encouraged on all counts, improving the technological efficacy of these vehicles should be prioritized.
Of course, if there are other suggestions or options in sight that could aim at totally replacing the labor sapping vehicles with a modern system, it will only be welcome as long as it will not deprive the young and the self-help groups of their hard earned trade.
This is just to remind the do-gooders if they could come-up with some innovation and product of simple, efficient and cheaper technology that would facilitate the garbage collection business
The need is apparent to conscious, sensitive and perceiving members of society. What remains behind however, is putting the gears in motion. I think the anticipated motion can be started very well by creative individuals, entrepreneurs, enterprises or big businesses to assist the invigorated youth who have become indispensable in keeping Addis Ababa clean.