Trash for cash - a social business
Hi. My name is Soenke, 32 years old from Hamburg.
One night I was lying awake and thought about how to source funding to build up a creative agency combined with doing something good.
I developed TrashForCash.
The first weeks I went through Hamburg and collected trash.
I realised:
„People around you, stare more sceptical, if you pick up trash from the street, than if you had thrown trash away“
One day I went to a spot, where a party had taken place the weekend before...
Team
I was going to collect trash for my first prototypes, when I saw two guys my age from Ghana, picking up the trash from the party. I started talking to them and explained to them, why I am collecting trash as well. They were a bit baffled but when I asked them, whether they would like to join my team, they responded, that they would love to...
Since then, I meet them regularly. They have shown me, where and how they live. They explained to me, how they came here and how difficult it is to stay.
Inusah, 23 years old and Rauf, 25 years old came to Germany a year ago. They had arrived in Italy and went to Munich by train. By bus they went on to Hamburg, where they would love to stay.
Living in a "church" - which is a 100m2 room for about 15-20 young adults without any mattresses - they try to earn money by doing whatever they are hired for. But they are totally cool with it.
Since then, they ask me every day, when we can start collecting trash.
Very likeable young friends now.
Our Aim
TrashForCash is my agencys charity unit. Drawing attention to environmental issues and supporting those who need support is our way to do do something good.
Half of the revenue will be donated to environmental programs or charities.
Our vision is - depending on the order situation - to establish a small manufacture and employ people who need financial support, still clean up different areas and let our clients donate money to useful projects to make the world a better and cleaner place.
...with a little help from our brands...
How
