My 10 Cent Toothbrush

It lasted me about two weeks before it broke in half and felt like it almost punctured a small hole on the side of my mouth. A few days after I tossed it out in the community trash bin, I found my guard’s five year old daughter playing with the top half of it, using it as a brush for her bald doll’s head.

I am continually impressed by the kinds of toys Malagasy kids play with, the things that keep people entertained, and the value of recycling or being resourceful here. Wii, remote control cars, plastic tea sets, and Barbie dolls are toys that can be easily found in a Toys R Us in the States, but are most likely non-existent to a Malagasy child. To think about it, I’ve actually never seen a toy store here, just vendors on the street selling second or tenth to hundredth hand stuffed animals or toys made out of used plastic bottles, jars, etc.

One of the most creative things I’ve seen so far is a toy car with the base made out of a sardine can and wheels out of plastic bottle caps, attached by a string to be pulled on a long stick. In the markets, they sometimes sell tea sets and toy cookware that are made out of small tomato paste cans and other tin scraps. At one of the artisan fairs, there was a man selling sculpted art that he made out of melted plastic from broken radios and another stand selling beautiful jewelry made out of bull’s horns. I’ve also seen people on the street using flat bicycle tires as hula hoops and dried orange and banana peels to play a game that looks similar to Tic Tac Toe.

People love looking through trash here and making use of whatever they can find, even if it is a plastic candy bag to be used as a kid’s pencil bag or a plastic gasoline gallon to store water or honey. I’m not saying I agree with the sanitation of all of it, but one of the greatest lessons I’ve learned here is to be resourceful (and not as OCD as I used to be!).

I was so used to refrigerating leftovers at home and throwing it away after a day or so, but I’ve learned to buy only what I need for the day here and/or to come up with creative recipes using my leftovers. It’s been a fun adventure so far and I’ve cooked meals that I didn’t even know I could make! Aside from food, I’ve also learned to fix broken flip flops and started reusing my water for multiple purposes since I have to fetch about six pails everyday.

The next time you throw out your trash, remember that your trash could be someone else’s treasure. Have a yard sale or donate things that have been collecting dust in your garage. Turn off your faucet when you don’t need it because there are many places in the world that don’t have access to clean, running water. Please think about my friends here in Madagascar and reuse, recycle, or renew whatever you can!