A Lifetime of Labor

North America

An elderly man searches through discarded waste, surrounded by sacks of materials gathered for recycling. Years of physical labor are visible in his weathered hands and face. Working amid dust, sharp objects and hazardous materials, waste pickers often endure punishing conditions for very little income. Within the informal economy, poverty, debt and the absence of basic labor protections can leave workers vulnerable to exploitation and forced labor. At an age when many hope to rest, he continues searching through what others have thrown away, his labor essential yet largely unseen. This Lisa Kristine photograph was made possible by the Hewlett Packard Enterprise Foundation in partnership with the Human Thread Foundation to eradicate slavery and human trafficking.

An elderly man searches through discarded waste, surrounded by sacks of materials gathered for recycling. Years of physical labor are visible in his weathered hands and face. Working amid dust, sharp objects and hazardous materials, waste pickers often endure punishing conditions for very little income. Within the informal economy, poverty, debt and the absence of basic labor protections can leave workers vulnerable to exploitation and forced labor. At an age when many hope to rest, he continues searching through what others have thrown away, his labor essential yet largely unseen. This Lisa Kristine photograph was made possible by the Hewlett Packard Enterprise Foundation in partnership with the Human Thread Foundation to eradicate slavery and human trafficking.