Man Turns Dumpster Diving Into Act of Charity

Dumpster diving may seem a bit gross, but a Kenyan teacher is finding treasure in the trash, which he uses to help his homeland.

By Kathryn Hawkins. Posted on August 17 2009

Image: iStockphoto

Most people automatically recoil at the thought of dumpster diving. Sure, sometimes your neighbors ditch perfectly usable stuff, but is it really worth searching among all the dirty diapers and coffee grounds to see what treasure you can dig up?

Jude Ndambuki, a Kenyan high school chemistry teacher now living in New York City, sees no harm in getting a little dirty by sifting through the waste on collection night. But he’s not scavenging for his own benefit—he’s sifting through his neighbors’ rejects for discarded computers, printers, and other electronical equipment, which he refurbishes and sends back home to Kenya through his non-profit group, the Help Kenya Project. Although the computers aren’t always the latest in high-tech, that’s no problem: many of the Kenyan students receiving Ndambuki’s gifts have never seen a computer before in their lives, and are grateful for the rare opportunity.

“Being one of the kids who actually experienced very dire poverty in Kenya, I feel any part that I can play to make the life of kids better, I better do it,” Ndambuki told CNN.

Ndambuki expects no monetary payment in exchange for his gifts, but he does make one request of the people who receive the computers and other electrical equipment: he asks the communities to plant 100 new trees for every computer they receive. This also plays a part in improving his homeland, Ndambuki explains. “There’s a lot of trees that are cut every year,” he said. “We find the land becomes bare, a lot of erosion of the soil takes place. So we need trees to be planted.”

Through his work, Ndambuki feels that he and his supporters are revitalizing Kenya in more ways than one. “It’s like giving the kids new life,” he said. “Computers are getting new life, and trees are being planted to bring a new life, too. It’s all connected.”

Filed under: Green, Heroes, Non-Profits,

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