” Scavenger, But I Have Rights” – A Theatrical Cry from the Heart of the Waste
In one of Cairo’s most marginalized neighborhoods, where dreams pile up like the garbage that fills the streets, the play ” Scavenger, But I Have Rights” was born. This unique theatrical project, a collaboration between El-Pergola Puppet Theatre and Goethe Institute in Egypt, was more than just a performance—it became a platform for the voices of young garbage collectors. Through intensive training in marionette puppetry, acting, and scriptwriting, supported by writer
Rania Refaat, these young people were empowered to tell their own stories.
The play sheds light on their daily struggles amid mountains of waste, their health issues, and their relentless efforts to collect garbage from homes. It highlights their dream of a more environmentally conscious society, where people sort waste at the source, and a government that supports them instead of outsourcing waste management to foreign companies. More than just a theatrical piece, this performance is a call for dialogue and change, challenging the audience to ask: Don’t these workers deserve dignity and recognition?
“ Scavenger, But I Have Rights” is not just a play—it is a raw, street-born narrative, told through puppets, carrying a dream of justice and acknowledgment.
