Above is a sly photo taken of our regular 'zibaal', or 'scavenger', on Mohamed Wagih Ahmed Street. While the actual number of waste-pickers in Egypt is unknown, as is the motivation behind the phenomenon (items to sell, out-of-date but nonetheless comestible food waste, materials to be exchanged for money at recycling plants), it was made clear to us in 'Aamiya lessons that in a country where the average wage apparently amounts to around 300 English pounds scavenging is not only commonplace but a recognised (if not ideal) profession, and takes place entirely in the open. Indeed the practice is almost welcomed due to the previously mentioned litter problem since the fall of Mubarak.
This man appears at least once every two days; this morning, as the majority of the rubbish had recently been cleared, the cats also came out to help him.
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