From waste to wages: The dangerous trade keeping Mukuru Kwa Ruben families alive

In the narrow alleys of Mukuru kwa Ruben, an informal settlement in Nairobi, rows of soggy paper bags hang from makeshift lines to dry.

Nearby, women stand ankle-deep in murky drainage water, scrubbing the bags one by one before laying them out under the sun.

The paper carrier bags—popularly known as "Uhuru bags"—have become an unlikely source of income for dozens of families grappling with unemployment and rising living costs.

But behind every cleaned bag lies a difficult reality: survival comes at the expense of health.

For 42-year-old Roselyn Jedida Opondo, washing discarded paper bags is the only way she can keep her family afloat.

Unable to secure formal employment, the mother of four turned to the trade in 2022.

Every week, she travels to dumping sites in Kayole to collect used paper bags, then brings them back to clean, dry, and resell them.

The work is physically demanding and hazardous. Without access to clean water, Roselyn washes the bags in open drainage channels that carry wastewater through the settlement.

"We wash the bags using water from the drainage channels because we have no other option," she says.

On a good day, she cleans up to 100 bags, earning about Ksh.2,000—money that pays rent, buys food and keeps her children in school. Her eldest is in college, while the others are in Form Three, Grade Six and Grade Five.

"This work pays my rent and helps me feed my children. I also use the money to pay school fees. Without it, I don't know how I would survive."

But the job takes a toll. Standing for hours in contaminated water often leaves her with swollen feet and recurring health concerns.

"The water is always cold. If you don't wear gumboots, your feet become swollen. We work in these conditions every day."

As a single mother, Roselyn says she has little choice but to continue. Roselyn's story mirrors that of Margaret Akinyi, another Reuben resident who joined the trade in 2024 after struggling to find work.

The mother of seven depends entirely on selling cleaned paper bags to provide for her family.

"This work feeds my family. It helps me buy food, pay rent and educate my children," she says.

Four of Margaret's children have already completed school, while she continues to support the younger three.

Getting the bags is often the hardest part.

She frequently travels to dumping sites in Kayole and other parts of Nairobi, but transport costs can consume much of her earnings.

"Sometimes I don't even have bus fare to collect the bags. If I can't get them, I don't earn anything that day."

Even after spending hours cleaning and preparing the bags, there is no guarantee she will make a sale.

Margaret says county enforcement officers occasionally confiscate the bags while she is selling them, forcing her to borrow money to recover her merchandise.

"Sometimes county officers take away the bags before I sell them. I end up borrowing money just to get them back."

Despite the challenges, she continues to hope for a better future.

"I pray my children will get good jobs one day and rescue me from this work."

While the women see the trade as a lifeline, public health experts warn that it exposes them to serious health risks.

According to public health officer Dr. Benard Muia, regularly handling waste materials and working in contaminated water without adequate protective gear puts the workers at risk of infections such as hepatitis, as well as waterborne diseases including cholera and diarrhoea.

He also warns that prolonged exposure to polluted environments may expose them to toxic substances such as lead and mercury, chemicals that can accumulate in the body and damage vital organs, including the kidneys and liver.

Inhaling fumes from nearby waste disposal sites can also increase the risk of respiratory illnesses, including asthma and other chronic lung conditions.

Dr. Muia further noted that the trade also endangers the lives of their customers, who unknowingly buy the bags.