Carolyn O'Donnell

Taking a break from aluminium cans: Pakkiya with Rosie and Sharky in Armenian St

Pakkiya Raj does very important work – he helps to recycle a gazillion kilos of metal and plastic containers every day. He’s been doing this for seven years, working for his boss S. Narayanasamy at the office full of paper and empty bottles at 89 Armenian St, Penang.

I got to know Pakkiya last year when I was helping with the George Town Festival and I’d collect all the empty 100 Plus containers and take them down the street and throw them on the ground outside Pakkiya’s office. Well maybe not throw them, tip them gently.

He is living the green dream, bustling around town on his bicycle. He even tried to help me fix a bicycle once, but it was beyond even his mechanical talents. He’s also good with dogs. Rosie and Sharky are super friendly and have celebrity fans including Ling Tan the supermodel.

Here’s Ling (kneeling with her mother) getting to know Rosie and Sharky last year. In the bottom photo, we can see what Ling looks like when she wakes up in the morning and friends like Jimmy Choo pop around for breakfast. OK, I’m kidding, it takes her at least ten minutes to look this good. I have a picture of me with Ling, but I look so stumpy next to her that I’m not going to post it.