A cartonero (lit. cardboard picker) is someone who digs through the trash to collect anything that may be of value. Basically, they are sorting through the garbage set out at the curb, mostly in search for cardboard and other useful remains. The cartoneros work within certain territories in the various neighborhoods of Buenos Aires. Sadly, there are thousands of them out on the streets, many are children. The number of cartoneros has rapidly increased during the last economic crash in 2001. For many people in Argentina, that is the only way to make a living.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Cartoneros in Buenos Aires
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13 comments:
The world these days seems filled with cartoneros unfortunately!
Very nice image. It is pretty sad, but you do see them everywhere.
Well, that's just awful. But we have a similar situation here...so many homeless, poverty-stricken, no where to go, no skills with which to obtain an available job...
Doesn't speak well for the human race whose leaders always seem able to fund their need for war...
Looks like a very hard life. At least he has found something to do to survive, though.
Muitos "cartoneros" no Brasil, também moram na rua. Fazem parte de uma classe menos favorecida. Mas são seres humanos aguerridos, lutadores, que buscam o seu sustento com honestidade. Mas o que nós podemos fazer por eles?.
Unfortunately, we have such people here, too. In our area, they are more likely to look for bottles and aluminum cans, which must be more valuable here. Very nice capture.
I got my copy of the new Orquesta Tipica Fernandez Fierro CD today. Hot!
Nice shot and something of a sad commentary on the changing fortunes of Buenos Aires. Let's hope things are on the mend.
Great photo. Yes, we have our homeless, like everywhere else. Sooner or later we're going to have invent a society where no one gets left behind.
It's very sad. We are living in a Blade Runner type world.
We have a lot of them here as well, not sure what they're called in Barcelona. Almost only Africans, Morocco just being 11 km from Spain.
Sadly, a part of every society.
They are part of every big city I guess and unfortunately their number is increasing.
There is a guy in the neighborhood who does something similar to this. I'm grateful for him because helps clean up the mess on the streets.
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