ACE Magazine

Rehash Trash: Recycling Rubbish, Renewing Lives

By William Coward, ACE Siem Reap Campus Manager

Rehash Trash is an environmental social enterprise based in Siem Reap that has been running for two and a half years and was set up by Green Gecko NGO, working with former street families. All products it makes are sold to the public at King’s Road Angkor and at their shop on Sombai Road in Siem Reap. Rehash Trash has helped clean up the environment around Siem Reap city by collecting and recycling plastic bags and turning them into various useful and stylish items. At the same time, Rehash Trash has been supporting disadvantaged women by employing them to work so that they can support not only themselves but their families. On the first day at Rehash Trash, those women helped clean plastic bags. After they learn a crocheting and crafting skill, and they can make their own stylish fashion products including bracelets, bags and homewares such as baskets, saucers, etc.

Students participating in an activity making products out of recycled materials

ACE Siem Reap students had an opportunity to sit down and talk with Chhorm Rany, an Assistant Manager at Rehash Trash. She has been working there for seven months.

Rany began by saying, “The products recycled from plastic are very beneficial and they always receive positive feedback from customers. When customers buy products from Rehash Trash it really helps to support the project to run so far.”

Rany explained how the lives of those underprivileged women have changed. They are now living in better conditions because they are able to see their potential and earn a good income. There are about twenty women who are from different provinces, such as Prey Veng and Kompong Cham, working at Rehash Trash. Now, they can live independently, pay their own rent and support their families.

When she was asked to give her impression of ACE’s Open Day, she spoke proudly, “It is good to run this kind of educational event because we can educate kids on the drawbacks of using too many plastic bags in their daily life.”

Rany sadly revealed that not many local people are aware of Rehash Trash. She hopes to see this program running in the long term; thus, it will not only help the environment, but also the lives of the women it employs. For more information go to their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/RehashTrash/

Attendees viewing the products being exhibited

ACE students took the time to also speak with a woman who currently works for Rehash Trash. Sreyreth allowed us to interview her about her life at Rehash Trash. She has been working there for a year and a half. She first knew Rehash Trash because her siblings were Green Gecko kids.

Sreyreth stated, “It is better to use plastic bags to create new stuff, rather than to throw them away. It takes time and energy to crochet.” For example, she used to spend from one to three days to crochet a single basket, but now she spends only about a day and a half. She told us that she has improved her skills by working there. After spending time there, she has learned how to crochet other big things such as mats and rubbish baskets by herself.

When she was asked to describe how her life has changed since she has been working at Rehash Trash, she told us, “Before working here, I was just a housewife. Now I have a job. I am able to support myself and I no longer need to depend on my husband.”

She excitedly said, “It is my first time to come to a school to have a workshop [on the Open Day]. A lot of kids are interested in our products and they have come to support us because some of them have never seen these kinds of things.”