Computer Repair Jobs in Egypt: Clubbed to Death


(note:  the flickering on the screen is caused by the film, the repaired monitor works perfectly)

We have spent a lot of time and collected a lot of film, standing with our friends in a lot of different countries.  We stood and filmed repair and reuse in Egypt.  We filmed in Senegal.  We filmed a trainee from Burkina Faso, we filmed in Mexico.  We filmed in Indonesia, we filmed in China, we filmed in Malaysia, we filmed in Peru.

These people universally dislike dealing with sham recyclers.  If enough good operations join together and ship to them in a fair trade manner, they will drop the sham shippers in a heartbet.  They are scared to death of environmental organizations that seek to make their operations illegal.  They enthusiastically agree to proper recycling methods when given the tools and the incentives to use them.

This repair and reuse industry is larger and more significant than the "smash and burn" operations which are receiving most - correction ALL - of the press attention.  In a recent press advisory by Interpol, there is no mention at all of any legitimate reuse of used electronics, the entire export industry is apparently considered illegal.   Having seen very reputable and clean operations closed down - including the one above - during the past 5 years, I feel forced to defend innocent entrepreneurs, geeks, engineers and techies who have been given a label of "waste" because of the minority who burn residue at landfills.

The World Reuse, Repair and Recycling Association is established to create "fair trade" between rich nations and nations which need the repair and reuse industry.   Like "fair trade coffee" companies, the WR3A recognizes that a boycott of this industry does more harm than good.    PLEASE support WR3A.  We don't want to make excuses for sham recyclers, but we do want to see people for what they can do, not for what they cannot do.

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