Online Reporter
Nqobile Tshili, [email protected]
A GROUP of residents from Luveve suburb in Bulawayo is turning trash into cash after establishing a community health and environment taskforce involved in picking up waste and selling it to recycling companies.
The Mafakela Health and Environment Taskforce, a community-based organisation with over 150 members, has become champions of anti-littering.
The group also runs a sorting cage situated at Chigumira Business Centre, which is used to sort plastics and tins that are delivered to them.
After collecting the waste, the group sells it to a local recycling company, which then supplies the products to local and external manufacturers.
While for most individuals an empty plastic bottle, broken plastic container or even an empty beverage can is unwanted, members of the Mafakela Health and Environment Taskforce see opportunities.
Their efforts are contributing to a clean environment while generating revenue that enables members to support their families.
The group’s work has not gone unnoticed as the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) in collaboration with Skies Recyclers handed them a bailing machine on Thursday to enable them to compact their waste.
Speaking during the event, EMA environment education and publicity officer, Miss Kayleen Dube, said the Luveve community stands out in tackling littering menace.
“We always encourage communities to take leadership in terms of environmental stewardship. We realise that we have a growing challenge of solid waste management,” she said.
Miss Dube said EMA was conducting training and awareness campaigns across Bulawayo.
“Luveve community is one of the communities that really embraced our programme as waste can also be a business,” said Miss Dube.
She said Luveve has become a champion of anti-littering through its community initiative.
“They established a community-based organisation that has managed to lead in community clean-up programmes. As a result, we have seen a reduction of some of the illegal dump sites that were a problem,” said Miss Dube.
She said the community started a recycling project which has seen them picking different streams of waste.
Miss Dube said the residents sell the waste to Skies Recyclers and as such were generating revenue from waste.
“These are the initiatives that we want to see across Bulawayo as residents take the lead in environmental health stewardship,” she said.
Miss Dube said the donation of the bailing machine is part of EMA’s initiatives to support community-based environmental protection projects.
Mafakela Health and Environment Taskforce project manager, Mr Ishmael Mkandla, said residents were making a living through picking up waste.
He said the taskforce was established to promote cleanliness in Luveve after the 2021 tragedy when 13 residents died after drinking contaminated water.
Mr Mkandla said residents moved from just picking up waste to creating an economy around it.
“This was established not only for monetary benefits but also to keep our environment clean. You will remember that in 2021, we lost 13 residents and environmental issues were raised,” he said.
Mr Mkandla said there are instances when some of the community members collect up to 170kg of waste, adding that picking of waste has made residents environmentally conscious as it also has a financial incentive.
“Some waste pickers have become creative, especially those who pick aluminium cans. Some of them are now directly selling the cans to individuals who are making amabhodo (pots),” he said.
“When they deliver aluminium cans, they are given pots, which they resell in rural areas. So, this is something that is keeping them going,” said Mr Mkandla.
One of the waste pickers, Ms Sibusisiwe Dube, said she is able to support her family through picking up waste.
“In the past, I didn’t realise that litter was a resource that could even help me support my family. Through picking up waste, I have been able to buy groceries and other necessities for my family,” she said.
Ms Dube said they have been empowered as women as they no longer depend on men for income.
To ensure the safety of Luveve waste pickers, EMA partnered Skies Recyclers to provide them with personal protective equipment consisting of work suits, gloves and masks. — @nqotshili.
