The Indonesian capital of Jakarta is home to an estimated 400,000 trash pickers, most of whom are undocumented workers surviving on a monthly income of about $35 per family.

Unlike the more valued, uniformed sanitation workers in other countries who enjoy decent salaries, insurance benefits and vacations, and who receive greater social recognition, this community of Indonesian trash pickers is largely “invisible.” They eke out a living from the wasteful consumer habits and lack of environmental responsibility of others.

Although XSProject depends greatly on their services to continually clean our surroundings, increasing consumer appetites have put an ever growing strain on the environment. Because of the dearth of proper recycling programs in much of Southeast Asia trash pickers look for items that can be sold for recycling to supplement their meager incomes.

XSProject seeks out consumer waste materials that can be bought from these communities that will bring them new sources of income.