Climate Change: Scavenging Pushes Many Children Out of School in Kano

By Hannatu Sulaiman Abba

‘Stop going to school; we have to focus on what will make us earn money. Look at Oga Zubairu, who buys these trashed items from us for 300 naira. He knows our value more than the so-called ‘yan boko.’ A 9-year-old boy engaged in a deep conversation with his peer group who are busy picking scum from a waste disposal land in the Sheka community.’

In the major streets of Kano State, children aged 9 to 15 were seen roaming around communities, picking trashed items from waste bins or disposal land. This has become a habitual norm for children, including those with parents, orphans, and Almajirai.

Salisu Hassan, a 9-year-old, said, ‘I pick these scraps because it is the only source for me to get money. Many of my friends are into it, and their parents didn’t stop them.

As an orphan, I wake up early to collect scraps from three communities. My mom uses the money to buy some items for me during occasions or for basic needs,’ says Safiyanu Musa, who is 11 years old.

Our biggest challenge is that some of the scraps are not that valuable because 300 naira is the highest amount we get per day after working for 6 to 7 hours. Sometimes we are chased away by people who call us names or our older peers snatch important and costly items from us.

‘We never feel discouraged in what we do as scavengers because there is nothing good in acquiring a Western education these days. The so-called Western-educated ones are not as wealthy as the people who purchase our scraps,’ Salisu emphasized.

In Yakasai community, Yusuf Balarabe said that during the rainy season, he inspects all the drainage close to his house and other neighboring communities to search for unwanted used items.

‘Any time I go to school, my thoughts for the whole day are that I missed the opportunity to earn money for the day. So, I stopped going to school for the whole term, or I sneak out. A day I can earn 500 naira from scrapping, and it makes me happy.’

In Nassarawa GRA, Alu Avenue, Kano, Muktar and Ayuba were seen collecting used charcoal from the waste after it was used by a tea seller.

‘We don’t only pick charcoal; we pick whatever comes our way. Our survival depends on scraps. In a day, my brother and I can earn 700 naira.’

However, in Sharada Jaen, Gidan Mariya, Abdullahi Na Mama said he loves to see children of his age struggling to earn. This has motivated many of us not to go to school because the scrap business can help you earn money quickly.

In Hotoro, Aliyu was spotted at 12 noon picking trash. When asked, he said he wants to buy clothes that he will wear on Sallah.

During an interview with the scraps purchaser, Malam Jibril said, “The scrap business in Sheka communities has been in existence for more than two decades. According to Jibril, in recent years, children are often at the forefront of scrutinizing waste materials, which discourages them from focusing on their early-stage endeavors compared to those days when adults were at the front line of the business.”

The scrap business has an addictive nature for anyone who embarks on it, whether children or adults, and it has various categories of capital. Almost all the children who collect scraps know the price of items based on weight, so their main focus is to obtain valuable items.

However, in the process of searching for valuable scraps, many children engage in stealing from their parents or neighbors, taking valuable or damaged materials that require technical assistance. If they are caught during or after the process, they get into trouble. But for now, I quickly inspect such materials and refuse to buy or send them away.

Subsequently, many children go in search of scraps from the waste bins door to door or in refuse lands, with the consent of their parents, which they ignore school intentionally because waste collection starts in the morning. Some parents rely on the scraps their children collect as a means of earning for the family or other essential needs.

In addition, scavengers feed on leftover snacks, fruits, or drinks when searching for scraps at the waste bins.

According to Human Rights activist in Kano, Khadija Aliyu Ammani, she highlighted that last year in April, a scenario happened with a 13-year-old boy named Halifa who supported his family with the money he earned from collecting trashed materials. At first, I noticed his hands with foul-smelling discharge, and when I asked, it was due to the trashed he got in an accident for 2 months. I quickly took him to the hospital for proper medical dressing and medication for quick healing.

Public Health Practitioner Dr. Musa Abdullahi Sufi said that children are at risk of picking trashed items, which exposes them to common and infectious diseases. Sharp objects found in the waste bins, including used hospital items like syringes and bottles, are harmful to their health.

In addition to tackling the issues of children, parents need to be very vigilant about the labor their children undergo to support the family. Although it is not recommendable for children to be in this situation, some economic and societal problems lead to it.

A World Bank report in June 2022 indicates that Nigeria has more than 11 million out-of-school children between the ages of 6 and 15, with Kano State having 837,479 out-of-school children closely.

In a suggested approach by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the out-of-school children phenomenon in Nigeria is multi-causal and will require a combination of interventions. On the demand side, reducing the cost of education by eliminating school fees, providing cash transfers, and shifting socio-cultural norms that prevent school enrollment are critical steps pointed out.