Telines Basílio — affectionately known as Carioca — is the President of COOPERCAPS and a leading figure in urban solid waste management. His inspiring journey began on the streets of São Paulo as a former waste picker and evolved into a story of leadership, innovation, and social impact. He holds a degree in Environmental Management, a postgraduate degree in Project Management, and a specialization in Solid Waste Management, in addition to having completed a course on urban solid waste in Japan. Since 2008, Carioca has led COOPERCAPS, which currently manages five sorting centers in the city of São Paulo — including the first mechanized sorting plants in Latin America — and established the first Reference Center for Cooperatives and Waste Pickers, entirely structured by waste pickers themselves. He also created the COOPERCAPS Social Franchise, a business model now being replicated in several municipalities across Brazil. Carioca serves as President of CONATREC, an entity that represents and strengthens recycling cooperatives, and was one of the founders of Rede Sul, a São Paulo-based network of cooperatives that promotes strategic partnerships and projects to enhance the sector’s social, environmental, and economic impact. His remarkable story is featured in the book “O Catador e o Presidente” (The Waste Picker and the President), a narrative of resilience, leadership, and innovation within the circular economy and social inclusion, reflected in his technical, academic, and institutional work.