HD video & series of 32 photographs

The Zabbaleen (“Garbage people” in Egyptian Arabic) are Coptic Christians who migrated to Cairo 60 years ago and became the garbage collectors of the city.
Their family-run micro-enterprises have created one of the most efficient recycling systems in the world. They recycle up to 80% of what they collect, whereas most private garbage collecting companies can only recycle up to 25% of the waste.
The Zabbaleen’s method is efficient but it produces poor living conditions. They suffer from many diseases and injuries caused by working and living with garbage.

*** NIKON PRESS PHOTO AWARD 2010, CATEGORY STORIES ***