This work is based on my experience in Egypt, focusing on the long-overlooked community of the Zabbaleen. They sustain their lives by collecting, sorting, and recycling the city’s waste. In the narrow alleys, recyclable materials rise like mountains, and the interiors of their homes are filled with items awaiting classification. Entire families often participate in the work, and children naturally grow up seeing this labor as part of daily life.

 

During my stay, I witnessed how they endure harsh living conditions while supporting each other through deep religious faith. The sounds of prayer, the laughter of families, and the purity and quiet strength in their eyes deeply moved me and led me to consider their situation and history.

 

Whom do we choose to see, and whom do we choose to forget?

 

The work serves as both documentation and inquiry, reminding us that even the forgotten lives are integral to our world.