As I've said many times before, in Congo (and generally in Africa) nothing is thrown away. Everything is reused one way or another. Most examples of recycling that can be seen daily have something to do with plastic containers. However, my favorite ones are somewhat more elaborate and imaginative. Like the little fabric dolls that can be bought in certain souvenir shops.

They are made with little pieces of fabric leftover from tailoring clothes, which I imagine are collected from tailors and dressmakers. The picture on the bottom left shows a bag full of such fabric scraps, which are used both as filling for the dolls and to make their dresses. The work is completed with some glue, straw and little pieces of wood, also recycled.

Interestingly, I've never seen these types of dolls in male form. They usually represent women doing daily housework such as carrying water or other things on their head, pounding cassava flour to make fufu or taking care of a baby. The only exception I've come across are the Nativity scene characters, like the one below that is identical to the one I have at home.