Jordanian women go door-to-door recycling trash

Jordanian woman Saada Turkmani collects empty metal cans in a dedicated container before she transports it to the station as part of a women-run program to improve Jordan's solid waste management, at the Northern town of Shouneh in the Jordan Valley, Jordan, January 15, 2020. Picture taken January 15, 2020. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed

Every morning just after dawn, Saada Turkmani wakes up, puts on her bright yellow vest and green hard-hat and walks door-to-door in her Jordan valley village, picking up trash to be recycled.

Turkmani is one of 60 women who work at the Northern Shouneh sorting center which says the first of its kind in Jordan. It is part of a U.N.-backed program to try out ways to improve the country's waste management.

Jordanian women pick up trash at a station as part of a women-run program to improve Jordan's solid waste management in the northern town of Shouneh in the Jordan Valley, Jordan, January 15, 2020. Picture taken January 15, 2020. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed

The 48-year-old mother of five said her family had always struggled to make ends meet. They depended mainly on her husband for income, but he worked seasonal jobs that were not always reliable. 

“I never really expected to find employment at my age,” she said. “I was surprised when they said they would hire me for this. This is the first job I’ve ever had."

After collection, the trash from Muath Bin Jabal village is taken to a warehouse where it is sorted then compressed into cubes to be sold for scrap.

Jordanian women pick up trash at a station as part of a women-run program to improve Jordan's solid waste management in the northern town of Shouneh in the Jordan Valley, Jordan, January 15, 2020. Picture taken January 15, 2020. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed

The women receive around $310 a month, described as a "cash incentive" not a salary by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) which helps run the scheme.

Jordan generates 2.2 million tonnes of solid municipal waste per year and only 7% is recycled or salvaged, according to figures released by the UNDP.

Jordanian woman Um Mohammed collects trash in dedicated containers before she transports it to the station as part of a women-run program to improve Jordan's solid waste management, at the Northern town of Shouneh in the Jordan Valley, Jordan, January 15, 2020. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed

(Writing by Bushra Shakhshir; Editing by Andrew Heavens)

Jordanian women pick up trash at a station as part of a women-run program to improve Jordan's solid waste management in the northern town of Shouneh in the Jordan Valley, Jordan, January 15, 2020. Picture taken January 15, 2020. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed

Jordanian women pick up trash outside a shop in a public market as part of a women-run program to improve Jordan's solid waste management, at the Northern town of Shouneh in the Jordan Valley, Jordan, January 15, 2020. Picture taken January 15, 2020. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed

Jordanian women pick up trash at a station as part of a women-run program to improve Jordan's solid waste management in the northern town of Shouneh in the Jordan Valley, Jordan, January 15, 2020. Picture taken January 15, 2020. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed

A Jordanian woman drives a forklift truck to transport the compressed aluminium to the warehouse as part of a women-run program to improve Jordan's solid waste management, at the Northern town of Shouneh in the Jordan Valley, Jordan, January 15, 2020. Picture taken January 15, 2020. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed

Jordanian women pick up trash at a station as part of a women-run program to improve Jordan's solid waste management in the northern town of Shouneh in the Jordan Valley, Jordan, January 15, 2020. Picture taken January 15, 2020. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed

Children smile and pose for a photo outside their home in northern town of Shouneh in the Jordan Valley, Jordan, January 15, 2020. Picture taken January 15, 2020. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed

Jordanian women prepare to transport trash to the station as part of a women-run program to improve Jordan's solid waste management, at the Northern town of Shouneh in the Jordan Valley, Jordan, January 15, 2020. Picture taken January 15, 2020. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed

Jordanian women pick up trash at a station as part of a women-run program to improve Jordan's solid waste management in the northern town of Shouneh in the Jordan Valley, Jordan, January 15, 2020. Picture taken January 15, 2020. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed

Jordanian women pick up trash at a station as part of a women-run program to improve Jordan's solid waste management in the northern town of Shouneh in the Jordan Valley, Jordan, January 15, 2020. Picture taken January 15, 2020. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed

A Jordanian woman drives a forklift truck to transport the compressed aluminium to the warehouse as part of a women-run program to improve Jordan's solid waste management, at the Northern town of Shouneh in the Jordan Valley, Jordan, January 15, 2020. Picture taken January 15, 2020. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed