Chronicle Editor
Blessings Chidakwa in Lupane
HUNDREDS of people from seven districts in Matabeleland North yesterday graduated after completing a recycling as a business course initiated by First Lady Amai Auxillia Mnangagwa who is the environment patron in partnership with Ministry of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry.
It was all smiles at Lupane State University as hordes of people drawn from all ages and gender celebrated their lifetime achievement after participating in the training programme.
The colourful event saw various people also displaying some products that are being made out of recycled plastics and bottles including plastic tiles, pavers, wine bottles, glasses and dishes among other products.
Globally, waste recycling is arguably the second biggest industry feeding raw materials into agriculture and clothing sectors among others.
The First Lady, Dr Mnangagwa who is also the Secretary for Environment and Tourism in Zanu-PF has been running the recycling as a business course across the country and Matabeleland North province is the sixth province to benefit from the course meant to capacitate communities.
The other provinces that have benefited are Mashonaland West and Central, Manicaland, Harare and Matabeleland South.
In a speech read on her behalf by Professor Prosper Matondi, chief director for Environment, Climate and Meteorological Services, Dr Mnangagwa said she envisions recycling as a key strategy in enhancing lives in Zimbabwe.
She said there are various options in the country through which a lot of entrepreneurs can be gainfully engaged in the collection, sorting and processing of materials.
Amai Mnangagwa also said some people would be running complementary business supplying necessary materials that are used in the recycling process and value chain leading to benefits sharing.
“This is not my dream alone but the National Development Strategy 1 which underpins promoting recycling initiatives as a major outcome.
“My appeal to the industry is that it is time we fully recognise support and grow the recycling industry and the solution to sustainability,” she said.
Amai Mnangagwa a champion of preserving the environment, said it was key that people should jealously preserve the environment.
“Recycling is not only potentially a billion dollar industry but also works to save the environment. Zimbabwe like any other country produces tonnes of waste products which entrepreneurs can take advantage of to build and grow the recycling business.
“The United Nations and environmental programme estimates the market for waste management from collection through recycling to be some US$400 billion worldwide while the global market for the scrap metal and paper is at least US$30 billion per year according to the World Bank,” she said.
Dr Mnangagwa said it was against such a background of realising that a lot of valuable waste products are still being dumped and polluting the environment that her office worked with the Ministry of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry through the Environment Management Agency to unlock the value in waste products.
The First Lady said this led to the rollout of the training programme to capacitate grass roots communities on the best practices in the management of waste including recovery and recycling as a business.
“We are gathered here to appreciate all those who participated in this rigorous training programme, the training did not happen in Matabeleland North province alone but it touched every district of Zimbabwe in line with the mantra of “Leaving no one and no place behind”.
“I want to urge the graduates that this graduation should not be the end to this noble initiative but this capacity business exercise should be the basis for action on the ground, I challenge you to be beacons of hope and light to the communities you come from by putting into action what you learnt and also spreading wide the same information in your community,” she said.
Minister of State Provincial Affairs and Devolution in Matabeleland North, Richard Moyo thanked Amai for initiating the training programme to capacitate communities to engage in Recycling as a Business.
“I would like to refer to this particular event as historic in that it is indeed the first time the province is witnessing the certification of an achievement in waste management by grassroots communities.
“This gesture fulfils the Second Republic’s Mantra of Leaving No one and No Place Behind towards the attainment of Vision 2030,” he said.
Minister Moyo also acknowledged the support, participation and guidance in the programme and other waste management initiatives elsewhere in the province in particular and the country at large.
“I am delighted to inform you that, Matabeleland North province conducted Recycling as a Business Training workshops in all the seven districts of the province being spearheaded by the Environmental Management Agency in conjunction with Local Authorities, Waste Recycling Companies and other Government Departments.
“To that end, a total of 785 people were capacitated with sound knowledge in the recycling value chain. The training programme was quite inclusive as being witnessed by the graduation today,” he said.
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