Chronicle Editor
Flora Fadzai Sibanda, Chronicle Reporter
THE Girl Guides Association of Zimbabwe (GGAZ) has embarked on a plastic recycling initiative to reduce pollution.
The association received funds to participate in the Plastic Tide Turners Challenge (PTTC) from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) as a way of reducing plastic pollution in Zimbabwe.
UNEP is rolling out the initiative in conjunction with the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) as part of attempts to meet the sustainable developments goals, including Climate Action.
The (PTTC) educates young people around the world about plastic pollution, giving them the tools to change their personal behaviour, inspire their communities, and create a better future for people and the planet.
Through the challenge, young people can develop their leadership skills and make an impact on issues that matter, from cutting back on the use of single-use plastic to tackling plastic pollution by encouraging them to realise that they can make a huge difference in the world.
At the moment, the Girl Guides Association of Zimbabwe is working on collecting the plastics that will be used to make a range of products that include plastic baskets.
The association undertook its first clean-up campaign in Bulawayo’s city centre yesterday to collect plastics.
In an interview, the National Plastic Tide Co-coordinator Ms Trish Matarutse said they applied for funding back in 2020 as they had seen the high rise in plastic pollution around Bulawayo.
She said the initiative is about collecting plastics and recycling them to make something new and useful.
“The Girl Guides Association of Zimbabwe is working with UN Environment and WAGGGS to try and reduce plastic pollution in Zimbabwe. We applied for funding back in 2020.
We are happy to be one of the few countries chosen in Africa to participate. Plastics are a threat to the ecosystem especially since they do not decompose. What we are going to do is to raise awareness on the effects of plastics use, recycling, disposal and sustainable alternatives to plastics.
Our girls are already getting training on ways to achieve all of this. We are going to collect the plastics then we will start small projects where we will be using the plastic to create new things.
We are really excited as we are hoping this will make our community to be aware when it comes to recycling plastics instead of throwing it away,” said Ms Matarutse.
In an interview, the Girl Guides Zimbabwe -Advocacy Champion, Wavemaker (Plastic Tide Turners), Ms Yvonne Kapuwa said the initiative is open to everyone and the girl guides are not the only ones participating.
“We did not limit the initiative to girl guides only. However, we have invited other volunteers who are willing to join us. As you can see today, we are with the Mafikeng Health and Environment Taskforce from Luveve and the boys from Biya4 Academy football club.
Inviting other people outside girl guides is to make sure that this is everyone’s task. It is up to all of us to make sure we protect our continent from plastic pollution.
Another thing that is making us happy is to see that a lot of youths joined us today. After all they are the future so seeing that they are interested in such initiatives is making us happy. We hope they will be this supportive going forward”.
Ms Kapuwa said this was their first cleanup campaign to collect plastics.
“This is our first clean-up campaign since we started on this initiative.
“However, we are hoping for more and we hope by then a lot of people would have joined us in protecting the environment,” she said.
Online Reporter