Blue Sky Recycling: Facilitating The Development of a Women’s Recycling Cooperative

Like many countries today, South Africa faces systemic gender inequality. Many women not only face discrimination at home, but also struggle to find job opportunities to provide for themselves and their families. This project aimed to empower women by assisting Blue Sky Recycling, a local business in Philippi, Cape Town, to create a women’s recycling cooperative. After conducting interviews with local cooperatives, we developed weekly workshops for the cooperative members to train them on how cooperatives function. Our group found that the key aspects of successful cooperatives are trust between members, open communication, and an understanding of business operations. Cooperatives can empower their members and communities, improving living conditions and alleviating widespread poverty.

Charlotte White, Katherine Martin, Nicholas Rath, and Shane Villafana with sponsors.

Facilitating the Development of a Women’s Recycling Cooperative