Manshiyat Nasser, Informal waste management district in Cairo, Egypt
Manshiyat Nasser is a district at the base of the Mokattam hills where residents live and work with recycled materials. The area is organized as a complex of homes and workshops where families manage the collection and sorting of goods.
The settlement formed in the 1950s when waste collectors moved to the outskirts of Cairo to establish informal collection systems for the expanding city. Over the decades, the area grew into a center for recycling work that continues in the present day.
The Coptic Christian residents have shaped the area's identity through their faith and community gatherings. The Cave Cathedral serves as a spiritual center where people worship and mark important celebrations together.
The area can be explored on foot to observe daily routines and working methods of residents. Visitors should approach with respect and understand this is a living neighborhood, not a tourist attraction.
Residents achieve high recycling rates through manual sorting methods that outperform many industrial processes. This skill has been passed down through generations and shows how knowledge and experience can be more effective than modern machines.
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