Journey to Uganda: Stories from the ground

Recently, the Programme Management team travelled to Uganda to meet the people at the heart of our waste management programmes, connect with local stakeholders and government donors, and see first-hand how our work is making an impact in communities.

What the team found was inspiring: people turning waste into livelihoods, communities taking ownership of the challenges they face, and women and young people using new skills and opportunities to build better futures for their families.

Being on the ground gave our team a much deeper understanding of what this support means in people’s everyday lives. We saw the impact of Bunzl’s support first-hand; from wastepreneurs growing their businesses and creating jobs, to communities coming together to take ownership of waste management challenges and create opportunities for others.

These experiences showed us that the impact of investing in waste management goes far beyond waste itself. It is about people, livelihoods, families and communities, and the lasting change that can happen when people have the right support and opportunities.

Supporting Uganda’s Wastepreneurs

At the heart of our work in Uganda are the people who are transforming waste into opportunity. Through the Wastepreneur programme, we are supporting waste workers to grow their businesses, strengthen their livelihoods and build a better future for their families.

To date, the Wastepreneur Challenge Programme in Kampala city has supported 27 waste workers which constitute of 9 waste pickers, 9 waste collectors and 9 recyclers. By providing training, mentorship and practical support, the Wastepreneur programme has enabled beneficiaries to support their waste management businesses and earn a livelihood.

How the Wastepreneur programme transformed Eva’s life

For more than 13 years, Eva has earned a living by buying recyclable materials from local waste collectors and selling them to larger recycling businesses.

Like many people working in the informal waste sector, Eva faced significant challenges. High transport costs, limited storage and unreliable weighing of recyclable materials made it difficult to grow her business.

Through the Wastepreneur programme, Eva received a motorbike, storage space, a digital scale and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) which transformed her life.

The motorbike made a significant impact in her business as it enabled her to collect much larger quantities of recyclable material from local waste collectors. As her business grew, so did her ability to create employment opportunities for others.

She has now employed four permanent workers to assist her with her expanded business and is also working with part-time waste pickers creating employment for many in the community.

Further, through her earnings, Eva has been able to pay for her children’s education and support her son through university. He has now graduated and is helping his mother with her waste management business.

Eva’s story shows the impact of the Wastepreneur programme towards building sustainable livelihoods. Her success has not only empowered her family but has also created jobs within the community.

The impact of the HUBLINK project in Kampala

In Mugema Zone of Kampala city, waste is a highly visible challenge. Where there was once a dumping site, a small group of residents saw an opportunity to create something different: a community-run waste aggregation hub that could help keep the neighbourhood clean while creating livelihoods.

The hub initially began with around eight founding members, but has now grown into a cooperative with 35 members and 140 waste collectors supplying materials to the hub. Many households in the area also bring items to sell to the hub, and members also take initiative to raise awareness of waste management in the community. Further, the hub also has smaller collection points within the community to assist with waste collection.

‘’The visit to the hub gave me a much deeper appreciation of what the community has built and the potential for the project to create even greater impact.  What struck me most was the sense of ownership. This is a community addressing a problem that affects them every day, and doing so in a way that creates economic opportunities for local people.’’ – Cleo, Programmes Manager at WasteAid

To date, the hub is handling around 35 tonnes of plastic waste every month, proceeds of which are also used to feed orphans and the vulnerable in the community.

Communities leading the way

From Eva’s growing business to the community-run hub in Mugema Zone, people are demonstrating that waste can be a source of opportunity and that investing in waste workers and community-led waste management solutions can create benefits that ripple far beyond waste itself.

Help us create more opportunities through waste

With the right support, more waste workers can build safer, more sustainable livelihoods, more communities can develop effective waste management systems, and more families can benefit from the opportunities created.

Support our Wastepreneur programme today and help us create more stories of opportunity, dignity and lasting change.

Donate now