Single mothers in Mexico transform trash into treasure

Americas Now

This week’s Game Changer on “Americas Now” has literally found opportunity in a bottle. She’s taken the eco-friendly practice of litter collection and turned it into a jewelry collection. It’s a program in Mexico that gives new life to discarded materials and to single mothers as well.

For this week’s Game Changer meet the founder of “Cerrando el Ciclo” (“Closing the Cycle”) Julia Novelo.

Mexico City’s metropolitan area is one of the most populous in the world.  As you can imagine millions of people produce tons of trash.  

Julia was a young graphic designer who was bothered by all the rubbish she saw littering the sidewalks.  So she decided start an organization to confront the problem with a positive approach.

“Closing the cycle” is a workshop for single mothers. They collect old bottles and other recyclables and turn them into jewelry and decor.

Julia helps train participants in the program how to make items and also trains them in online sales so they can sell their products to clients all over the world.

Learn more about Julia Novelo and these designing women here.