A Zabaleen man collects garbage from the streets of Cairo in the early morning

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Zabaleen which literally means garbage collectors have assumed a semi official role as Cairo s binmen The Zabaleen men usually do two shifts They leave at about four or five in the morning and again at about nine The poorer Zabaleen use donkey carts but many earn enough to rent trucks They then take the garbage back to their homes for the women to pick through for items to recycle

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Size: 5312px × 3543px
Location: Moqqatam, Cairo, Egypt
Photo credit: © Richard Splash / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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