My name is Shirin, and I am in my fifties. Every day, I collect all the plastic waste, metal cans, and iron I find in our village. I clean it and pack it into big bags. Every two months, I carry the bags and travel a long dirt road to the main road of Kalar-Darbandikhan.
I drop the bags there and rent a car for 10,000 (Iraqi) dinars IQD (USD7) to transport them to Darbandikhan and sell them for between 100,000 and 150,000 dinars.
I work to provide for my mother and me, while also cleaning our village of waste. Since I began this work, I have collected three tons of plastic waste, metal cans, and iron.
What makes me happy is that the residents of Khaneh Khoy village are very cooperative and save the plastic cans for me. In the spring, I collect Gundelia and Truffles and sell them. I will never let my village be polluted by plastic and metal waste as long as I live.
I live with my mother. My sons and daughters visit me regularly. The villagers love and respect me.
