Green Jobs for Youth: How Young Entrepreneurs Are Changing Peru’s Recycling Sector
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- The Waste Management Crisis in Arequipa, Peru
- Empleos Verdes Arequipa: Building Inclusive Green Jobs for Youth
- Small Business Case Study: How M&V Recyclesur Scaled Its Operations and Created Jobs for Young People
- What We’ve Learned About Youth Engagement in Circular Economies
- Empleos Verdes Impact Metrics: Green Jobs and Youth Training
- Building Long-Term Recycling Capacity and Green Jobs in Peru
This International Youth Day, we're highlighting how green jobs for youth are driving meaningful change in Peru's recycling sector with targeted support from TechnoServe.
The Waste Management Crisis in Arequipa, Peru
Arequipa, a city in southern Peru, generates over 56,000 tons of usable inorganic waste each year, but only 7% gets recycled. That leaves tens of thousands of tons sitting in landfills or polluting local communities. It’s a serious environmental threat that also reveals a clear opportunity to build businesses around materials that still have economic value. Where others see trash, young business owners in Peru are finding opportunity, innovation, and a pathway to long-term income.
Empleos Verdes Arequipa: Building Inclusive Green Jobs for Youth
TechnoServe launched Empleos Verdes with support from the Anglo American Foundation, working alongside co-implementers Recicla Latam and Libélula. The project tackles local waste management issues across six districts, starting in Cerro Colorado and Miraflores. We work directly with recycler associations, independent collectors, recycling companies, and circular startups.
Over an 18-month timeline across three cohorts, the project provides direct business advisory, technical support, legal registration assistance, market connections, and public waste-sorting campaigns.
The goals are straightforward: create and strengthen more than 350 direct and indirect green jobs, teach over 41,000 residents how to separate waste properly, and advance UN Sustainable Development Goals 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and 13 (Climate Action).
Small Business Case Study: How M&V Recyclesur Scaled Its Operations and Created Jobs for Young People
Vicky Huachaca, 30, manages M&V Recyclesur AQP, a recycling business in Arequipa. She spent five years collecting waste from local supermarkets with her husband before they decided to build an independent business.
Growth wasn’t linear. When M&V Recyclesur moved to a less visible location, revenue dropped fast. Rising competition, personal challenges, and declining income brought them to a breaking point in 2024.
“Personal issues forced us to make the difficult decision to close the business,” Vicky recalled.
But at the end of 2025, she heard of TechnoServe’s Empleos Verdes program and decided to join. Advisors began with something simple: rebuilding confidence. They then worked closely with Vicky to overhaul M&V Recyclesur’s financial tracking and operations.
“[TechnoServe] encouraged and motivated us to continue working in the recycling sector,” she shared. “The project helped us better understand our income and our expenses. We also received training on staff management, customer service, customer loyalty, and marketing strategies, all of which have been very valuable.”
Vicky registered M&V Recyclesur for an official tax identification number. That step allowed the business to secure contracts with larger, formal enterprises.
Today, M&V Recyclesur employs six people, including two young men ages 18 and 23. Every employee has a specialized role, from operating scales to sorting paper and plastic.
Vicky wants to expand even further.
“I feel excited and happy because I know all my daily hard work and sacrifices will be rewarded,” she said. “I’m also doing this for my two daughters and my partner. My goal is to manufacture other products out of what our company collects. This would help me provide more employment for young people interested in the recycling industry, inspire them to start their own businesses, and take care of the environment.”
A Different Way to Make A Difference.
Discover how TechnoServe bridges the gap between “thinking big” and practical business solutions that help hardworking people move from poverty to prosperity around the world.
What We’ve Learned About Youth Engagement in Circular Economies
Working with young business owners through Empleos Verdes highlighted a few clear realities:
- Youth need modern tools: Many young people enter recycling through family tradition, but without technical assistance and finance, they stay stuck in low-margin operating models.
- Social stigma limits growth: Recycling is often viewed as low-prestige work. Changing public perception around waste collectors is necessary to attract young talent.
- Practical learning works: Young entrepreneurs respond best to hands-on training tied directly to revenue growth and career advancement.
- Personal development matters: Building sustainable employment requires investing in personal leadership and confidence alongside technical skills.
Empleos Verdes Impact Metrics: Green Jobs and Youth Training
Across its first two cohorts, the project produced clear results:
- 257 people trained
- 41% of whom were youth
- 46% of whom were women
- 54 enterprises (associations, intermediaries, circular startups) supported
Building Long-Term Recycling Capacity and Green Jobs in Peru
Building an efficient recycling economy requires treating waste collectors as commercial partners rather than informal laborers. When young entrepreneurs get access to proper business training and formal registration, they can build businesses that hire local workers and keep recyclable materials out of municipal landfills.
Giving young leaders practical business tools turns local waste management into a viable career path across Peru.
