With the sharp rise in temperatures in Iraq during the summer, certain labor groups suffer more than others, especially those who work directly under the sun, with sanitation workers being at the forefront. In an initiative that gained widespread attention on Iraqi social media, named "Thank You," aimed at appreciating and honoring sanitation workers, a group of young civic activists designed a special cart for these workers in the city of Karbala in southern Iraq.
To explain the purpose of this initiative and the nature of this cart, the supervisor of the "Thank You" initiative, Ali Hakim, stated in an interview with "Sky News Arabia": "We are a group of volunteer youth who launched this initiative to give justice to this oppressed class of workers and to acknowledge their great efforts." He added, "With the significant rise in temperatures and their work under the scorching sun for long hours, the immense suffering of these workers is noteworthy to the extent that they have to cover their heads with pieces of cardboard or cloth due to the intense heat and exhaustion. We decided to design a dedicated cart for them, which has a canopy to protect them from the sun, and can hold cleaning tools inside and on its sides, along with a cooler for keeping drinking water cold and other beverages, which helps alleviate the heat."
He continues, "Unfortunately, in Iraq, sanitation workers use primitive carts meant for construction workers to transport cement, and these carts are not practical at all and are difficult to maneuver for garbage collection and cleaning roads and streets." Hakim, who is the founder of the "Ten is Initiators" project in Iraq, adds: "Therefore, we are trying through this advanced cart to ease the cleaning process for workers. It serves as a model we present to the concerned and responsible authorities so they can adopt it across all municipalities and sanitation workers in various Iraqi governorates. We are volunteers who developed this model with our limited resources without support from any entity, and the next step remains in the hands of the government."
He adds, "Our cart is helpful, comfortable, and very suitable for these workers responsible for cleanliness, where we conducted a survey among them, and they unanimously agreed that they greatly benefit from this cart design, as it helps them perform their work with less struggle and less fatigue."
Ali concludes: "In addition to urging government entities to fulfill their responsibilities in caring for workers and ensuring healthy and safe work environments for them, we also aim to send a message to citizens to maintain public cleanliness, as there are workers who toil day and night for it. We invite citizens in this regard to contribute to practically appreciating the efforts of sanitation workers and expressing gratitude to them through simple initiatives, such as buying them hats to protect them from the sun, or providing them with cold water bottles, juices, and snacks. So, what we primarily aim for from the Thank You initiative is to convey a message of respect and gratitude to this essential labor segment in society."
