Cairo’s fishermen, faced with dwindling catches from the Nile, are downing their rods and instead collecting plastic waste for recycling – an activity they say now yields a greater profit as pollution kills the river’s once bountiful marine life.
The 1,600-kilometre Nile river has become a dumping spot for rubbish and dead animals, the fishermen say, despite being the main source of water for the country's 106 million people.
“I alone remove no less than 200 to 500 kilos of plastic from the Nile every week,” said Arafa Saber, a 38-year-old fisherman and resident of Al Qusayrah, a Nile island in Giza province that forms a sizeable portion of Greater Cairo’s southwestern areas.
The plastic is mostly sold to recycling companies for an average price of 32 Egyptian pounds ($0.66) per kilogram. The figure varies slightly depending on the variety and quality, he said.
Mr Saber is not alone in his endeavour. Many fishermen, rubbish collectors and private sector initiatives have been striving to clean up the river for nearly a decade. The VeryNile initiative, which works to recycle the plastic into goods for sale, collected more than 200 tonnes of waste from the Nile between 2021 and 2023. A significant portion was plastic.
Around 10 years ago, Mr Saber and his fellow fishermen would catch between 20 and 25 kilograms of fish per day; now he is only able to fish between two and four kilograms. The quality of the fish has also deteriorated, he told The National, recounting that for the past year or two, many extracted from Greater Cairo stretches of the river – some of its most densely populated parts – have emitted a stench when opened and cleaned by fishmongers.
“A customer might fry the fish, thinking that it would get rid of the stink, and then throw it away without eating it. But because it is my livelihood, I catch it and sell it while feeling guilty because it’s fish that I myself wouldn’t eat,” Mr Saber said.
When he first started collecting rubbish, Mr Saber recounts being chastised by people who looked down on him. “Now, the same people who criticised me have themselves started to collect rubbish, and many even brought their children, friends and family members into the profession,” he said.
The practice has become commonplace in many areas of Cairo, not just along the Nile river, as Egyptians struggle with the high cost of living following a series of economic downturns.
While he initially “walked among people feeling embarrassed”, now he feels pride because “if I had to carry mud over my head to ensure my son’s safety, I would do that”. Mr Saber has learnt to ignore insults and sometimes attempts to educate people. In recent years, he has found that collecting trash is more profitable than fishing, and he intends to continue.
A group of fisherwomen in Giza’s Bahr El Aazam district told The National that the number of fish in the Nile has fallen in addition to their edibility. Many reported having to row their boats north or south of Cairo to reach stretches in more rural areas where the fish are healthier and more plentiful.
Umm Reda, 55, said extensive construction was to blame along the banks of the Nile in central Cairo, where a wave of state-sponsored projects have resulted in riverside promenades, cafes, restaurants and luxury high-rise apartments. She told The National she repeatedly saw construction materials being dumped in the river.
Egypt’s government, through its ministries of environment and water resources, has launched multiple clean-up initiatives, with several held to mark celebrations related to the environment, such as World Cleanup Day and Cairo Water Week. However, the government’s efforts have so far fallen short and initiatives like VeryNile, which has worked with fishermen in Al Qusayrah, are helping to fill the gap.
With millions of Egyptians facing economic hardship and anxiety, Mr Saber’s reliance on the Nile, even as a source of rubbish rather than fish, is a stark reminder of how essential the river is to Egypt’s people, who look to its waters for their livelihoods just as their ancestors did thousands of years ago.
Getting%20there%20and%20where%20to%20stay
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Queen
Nicki Minaj
(Young Money/Cash Money)
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
The Bio
Hometown: Bogota, Colombia
Favourite place to relax in UAE: the desert around Al Mleiha in Sharjah or the eastern mangroves in Abu Dhabi
The one book everyone should read: 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It will make your mind fly
Favourite documentary: Chasing Coral by Jeff Orlowski. It's a good reality check about one of the most valued ecosystems for humanity
if you go
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
One in nine do not have enough to eat
Created in 1961, the World Food Programme is pledged to fight hunger worldwide as well as providing emergency food assistance in a crisis.
One of the organisation’s goals is the Zero Hunger Pledge, adopted by the international community in 2015 as one of the 17 Sustainable Goals for Sustainable Development, to end world hunger by 2030.
The WFP, a branch of the United Nations, is funded by voluntary donations from governments, businesses and private donations.
Almost two thirds of its operations currently take place in conflict zones, where it is calculated that people are more than three times likely to suffer from malnutrition than in peaceful countries.
It is currently estimated that one in nine people globally do not have enough to eat.
On any one day, the WFP estimates that it has 5,000 lorries, 20 ships and 70 aircraft on the move.
Outside emergencies, the WFP provides school meals to up to 25 million children in 63 countries, while working with communities to improve nutrition. Where possible, it buys supplies from developing countries to cut down transport cost and boost local economies.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Keep it fun and engaging
Stuart Ritchie, director of wealth advice at AES International, says children cannot learn something overnight, so it helps to have a fun routine that keeps them engaged and interested.
“I explain to my daughter that the money I draw from an ATM or the money on my bank card doesn’t just magically appear – it’s money I have earned from my job. I show her how this works by giving her little chores around the house so she can earn pocket money,” says Mr Ritchie.
His daughter is allowed to spend half of her pocket money, while the other half goes into a bank account. When this money hits a certain milestone, Mr Ritchie rewards his daughter with a small lump sum.
He also recommends books that teach the importance of money management for children, such as The Squirrel Manifesto by Ric Edelman and Jean Edelman.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Squads
Australia: Finch (c), Agar, Behrendorff, Carey, Coulter-Nile, Lynn, McDermott, Maxwell, Short, Stanlake, Stoinis, Tye, Zampa
India: Kohli (c), Khaleel, Bumrah, Chahal, Dhawan, Shreyas, Karthik, Kuldeep, Bhuvneshwar, Pandey, Krunal, Pant, Rahul, Sundar, Umesh
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Gifts exchanged
- King Charles - replica of President Eisenhower Sword
- Queen Camilla - Tiffany & Co vintage 18-carat gold, diamond and ruby flower brooch
- Donald Trump - hand-bound leather book with Declaration of Independence
- Melania Trump - personalised Anya Hindmarch handbag
South and West: From a Notebook
Joan Didion
Fourth Estate
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Profile of Foodics
Founders: Ahmad AlZaini and Mosab AlOthmani
Based: Riyadh
Sector: Software
Employees: 150
Amount raised: $8m through seed and Series A - Series B raise ongoing
Funders: Raed Advanced Investment Co, Al-Riyadh Al Walid Investment Co, 500 Falcons, SWM Investment, AlShoaibah SPV, Faith Capital, Technology Investments Co, Savour Holding, Future Resources, Derayah Custody Co.
So what is Spicy Chickenjoy?
Just as McDonald’s has the Big Mac, Jollibee has Spicy Chickenjoy – a piece of fried chicken that’s crispy and spicy on the outside and comes with a side of spaghetti, all covered in tomato sauce and topped with sausage slices and ground beef. It sounds like a recipe that a child would come up with, but perhaps that’s the point – a flavourbomb combination of cheap comfort foods. Chickenjoy is Jollibee’s best-selling product in every country in which it has a presence.
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Know your Camel lingo
The bairaq is a competition for the best herd of 50 camels, named for the banner its winner takes home
Namoos - a word of congratulations reserved for falconry competitions, camel races and camel pageants. It best translates as 'the pride of victory' - and for competitors, it is priceless
Asayel camels - sleek, short-haired hound-like racers
Majahim - chocolate-brown camels that can grow to weigh two tonnes. They were only valued for milk until camel pageantry took off in the 1990s
Millions Street - the thoroughfare where camels are led and where white 4x4s throng throughout the festival
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BRIEF SCORES
England 353 and 313-8 dec
(B Stokes 112, A Cook 88; M Morkel 3-70, K Rabada 3-85)
(J Bairstow 63, T Westley 59, J Root 50; K Maharaj 3-50)
South Africa 175 and 252
(T Bavuma 52; T Roland-Jones 5-57, J Anderson 3-25)
(D Elgar 136; M Ali 4-45, T Roland-Jones 3-72)
Result: England won by 239 runs
England lead four-match series 2-1
Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
Director: Scott Cooper
Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 4/5
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
Australia World Cup squad
Aaron Finch (capt), Usman Khawaja, David Warner, Steve Smith, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Jhye Richardson, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Jason Behrendorff, Nathan Lyon, Adam Zampa
