A day in the life… :Of a garbage collector

Habineza Tharcise, a married father of one is a garbage collector attached to Isuku Cleaning service. Tharcise, whose work attire includes a reflector vest, overall, boots, and gloves, works ten hours a day. “I wake up at 5:00 AM, pray with my family, take a bath and sometimes even make breakfast. I am out of the house by 6:00 AM. I walk to Masoro, my work station, at Kimironko Market. By 7:00 AM, I’m ready to start work. My job is an unpleasant one but in one way or another you have to man-up. Eventually you develop a strong stomach and can deal with the stench of waste and also handle the sight of maggots and flies. What keeps me going is the fact that there are many jobless people around, so I always thank God that I am not a beggar on the streets or worse, rob people to pay my bills.I am usually done by 4:00 PM. By then, my whole body is screaming for a rest. I wrap up the day with a prayer thanking the Almighty for being with me all through the day. Garbage collecting is a dirty job, but somebody’s got to do it.”