Gallery: Inside the Hellscape Where Our Computers Go to Die
Kevin McElvaney01JOHN MAHAMA (21)
John Mahama, 21. Mahama's eyes twitch. He suffers from insomnia and debilitating headaches, but must continue to work in order to pay for his medication.
Kevin McElvaney02ADJOA (9)
Adjoa, 9. Girls like Adjoa balance tubs filled with small frozen water bags on their heads to sell to workers. The water bags are used for refreshment and/or to extinguish the smaller fires. Girls usually prefer selling water or fruits to burning e-waste.
Kevin McElvaney03ADAM LATIF (21)
Adam Latif, 21. Some boys cycle around searching for good places to scavenge. Latif built a functioning PCs with scrap from the fields and sold them in Accra.
Kevin McElvaney04ALHASSAN ADAMS (19)
Adams Alhassan, 19. Alhassan decided not to burn e-waste, but works in the part of the dump with food waste instead. He and others who work there often fall sick with malaria because of the mosquitos. Alhassan says without a good education its almost impossible to find another job in Accra.
Kevin McElvaney05ADAM NASARA (25)
Adam Nasara, 25. Nasara wasn’t aggressive, but was in a hurry to burn the cables he set on fire so they didn’t melt together.
Kevin McElvaney06MOHAMMED CAMARA (20)
Mogammed Camara, 20. Camara came all the way from Ivory Coast to work at Agbogbloshie.
Kevin McElvaney07WELLU SEREGIOUS (33)
Wellu Seregious, 33. Seregious walked around alone. He was aware of the risks associated with burning cables and electronic goods, so he decided to collect old tins and other metals in areas filled with food and waste from Accra. It was his 4th day working in Agbogbloshie.
Kevin McElvaney08BABA SALIFU (15)
Baba Salifu, 15. Salifu burns e-waste and breeds goats to make a living in Agbogbloshie. Young men there earn an average of $2.50 each day.
Kevin McElvaney09RAHMAN DAUDA (12)
Rahman Dauda, 12. Dauda says he tries to go to school “whenever possible.” He started working three years ago. Like many others, he believes the work is just temporary, but in the end most boys are not able to leave the vicious cycle of Agbogbloshie.
Kevin McElvaney10KWABENA LABOBE (10)
Kwabena Labobe, 10. Labobe plays on the site. His parents are not able to send him to school and forbid him to burn e-waste.
Kevin McElvaney11WIRED-Agbogbloshie- 10
Abdul Salam, 18. Salam says he has severe headaches for days, and was sweating and shaking while he and McElvaney spoke.
