Waste collectors in a township near Johannesburg who took part in a programme to help them improve their earning potential have been awarded a share of almost R240,000 to help them launch green businesses.

The initiative, organised by international non-governmental organisation (NGO) WasteAid and supported by sustainable packaging company Huhtamaki, aimed to give 18 waste collectors, in the Diepsloot community, north-east of Johannesburg, the skills, mentoring, and financial support they needed to improve their income. The programme culminated in a Dragon’s Den-style pitch day with the participants attempting to convince judges to help them turn their business ideas into a reality. But, after much deliberation, judges decided everyone was deserving of support.

WasteAid’s 16-week Huhtamaki Wastepreneur Challenge was developed with training partner The Wot-If? Trust which has been working with young people in Diepsloot for several years. The programme provided the wastepreneurs with business, financial, and waste stream training as well as mentoring to help them unlock their entrepreneurial potential and prepare for the pitch day.

The event at The Shack @ Glenda’s conference venue in Midrand, saw participants pitch their business idea to a panel of independent judges in a bid to secure funding.

WasteAid’s Director of Programmes, Michelle Wilson said: “WasteAid is committed to working with communities to bring the right people together to achieve a lasting positive impact on the environment and wellbeing of those living there. There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing waste collectors, who battle every day for the recognition and respect that they deserve, transform into wastepreneurs.”

“The pitch day is a significant moment in our training programme. It’s so rewarding to see how far the wastepreneurs have come. Through a blend of personal coaching and practical training they grow in confidence and the gem of an idea they start the course with flourishes, and they can map out the steps they need to take to make their idea a reality and improve their earning potential. The judges were so impressed by everyone’s pitches that they decided to invest in all 18 participant’s businesses.”

The business ideas presented by the wastepreneurs ranged from the need for equipment like trolleys to transport waste and cages and fencing to secure the aggregation of waste, as well as operational set-up support like compliance and governance for a satellite buy-back centre.

One of the wastepreneurs will be expanding on his idea of a circular economy business by fixing furniture using his carpentry skills, alongside mending the dumped clothing that he collects and sells.

Three other participants have formed a group to have a soup kitchen that will trade waste for soup, and so they will collect more waste to sell which will feed into another newly formed group of wastepreneurs close by who are establishing a collection centre.

To enable all the wastepreneurs to be supported, the judges agreed to take advantage of ‘economies of scale’ and buy the equipment and items the participants needed to achieve a better price.

Huhtamaki has been very supportive of WasteAid’s programme. Members of their South African team hosted a mentoring day before the pitch day and are arranging first aid training for the wastepreneurs as well as providing personal protection equipment (PPE).

Juan Mulder, Huhtamaki South Africa’s Sustainability Specialist was joined on the judging panel for the pitch day by colleagues Shane van der Nest, General Manager of Huhtamaki SA and Melissa Rossouw, a Business Analyst at the company, and entrepreneurial mentors and business practitioners Ashleigh Dlamini and Aaron Mathe.

Mr Mathe said: “We were extremely impressed by everyone’s pitches. It was obvious that they take their business ideas very seriously and were committed to making the most of the opportunities available to them. It’s clear that they want to improve their current situation. At the end of the day, all of their business ideas will benefit the whole community, so we decided that everyone was deserving of financial support”.

WasteAid will continue to mentor the wastepreneurs through the implementation phase of their businesses and hopes to expand its support to more waste collectors as part of a further phase of the programme next year.

The global Plastic Free July movement has brought home to people around the world the major environmental crisis that we all continue to face from plastic waste. WasteAid works with communities that are most severely impacted by dumped plastic and other waste to introduce lasting programmes to safely reduce and reuse the waste they are faced with daily.

Many countries lack the infrastructure to manage their waste, often leaving toxic plastic and other waste to clog up waterways and the sea or be burned in the streets. WasteAid brings together individual waste collectors, educators, businesses, and local and national politicians and policymakers to find lasting solutions to the challenge of plastic waste. Our approach aims to empower the people at the very heart of the waste challenge – improving the environment, health and well-being of people most impacted by waste that’s dumped or burned.

Supporting plastic collection and recycling in Cameroon

The coastal city of Douala is one of the areas where we’ve successfully empowered communities to reduce their plastic waste.

The city faces significant challenges in managing its waste. Drains and rivers are filled with plastic and the waters of the Douala Estuary are highly polluted. Despite the challenges, there is an active movement working hard to improve the situation.

It was important to us to support the real efforts already being made to reduce plastic waste in Doula. Working in partnership with the local authority who donated land and using funds donated by Bunzl and Partners Group and a contribution from Biffa, we have built and opened a plastics recovery centre in the Doula III community. The centre will act as a hub for local waste collectors who will bring the plastic they collect from the drains, rivers, ditches and streets to the centre to be cleaned, sorted, and sold for recycling.

A community committed to reducing waste

The facility is part of a wider programme of activity in Douala, that has included helping waste collectors become ‘wastepreneurs’ through our coaching and training programme, supported by UKAid’s match programme to provide them with backing to create a sustainable business fromwaste. By the end of 2023, we will have mentored approximately 90 wastepreneurs so far. Elsewhere, we are working with organisations and individuals across the city to build a circular economy to effectively reduce plastic waste by reusing and recycling it.

One of the first people to benefit from our mentoring programme in Cameroon was ‘Mama Pasto’. Her story truly shows how lives can be transformed when people are given then the opportunity, support and the right tools.  You can read it here.

As a registered charity, WasteAid relies on support from businesses and organisations to deliver critical projects such as our work in Cameroon. To find out how your company can help get in touch with ceris.turner-bailes@wasteaid.org

A new plastic recycling initiative that aims to empower young and vulnerable people in The Gambia has been launched by WasteAid.

The project, which is funded by the Norwegian Retailers’ Environment Fund (NREF), will see the charity partner with recycling company, Plastics Recycling Gambia, which was launched by young Gambian entrepreneur, Alieu Sowe; three communities; and local waste collectors to improve how plastic waste is collected, sorted and recycled.

As Norway’s largest private environmental fund, NREF supports national and international projects to reduce plastic pollution, increase plastic recycling and reduce the consumption of plastic bags.

Set to run for the next two years, the project will involve the training of collector groups, setting up collection infrastructure, behaviour change campaigns as well as business training support to Plastics Recycling Gambia to help expand the business.

It is hoped that the scheme will drive the recovery of recyclables, not only significantly reducing the amount of plastic that is either dumped or burned but will also help build sustainable income streams for waste collectors, assisting the development of a vibrant circular economy in The Gambia.

The country is one of the few countries committed to meeting the Paris Agreement to keep global warming below 1.5C. Alongside reducing climate emissions, the Ministry of Environment is focused on protecting the country’s natural resources and building resilience to climate shocks such as drought and floods.

Mr Sowe, 26, set up his recycling company in 2019, and following challenging times due to COVID, he received support from a previous WasteAid programme, sponsored by the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management to support Gambian ‘wastrepreneurs’. The Waste to Use Challenge not only provided him with the investment needed to kick-start his enterprise but also gave him the skills and mentoring to ensure it was a success.

His facility is the only organised collection service of high-density plastic in The Gambia. Once collected, the company then cleans and chips plastics so they can be processed by larger companies, including GamPlast, which is currently importing recycled plastics from outside the region, as it is unable to source the HD locally without improvements in the collection system.

Plastics Recycling Gambia currently collects 15 tonnes of hard plastic a month from 21 collection points across the region, providing income for up to 21 waste collectors who collect and bag up the plastics. The company then gather the plastics to wash, sort, chop and chip them. They are then sold to companies including GamPlast who then pelletise them to make consumables including water pipes, basins, and buckets locally.

WasteAid’s initiative aims to increase the volume of plastic recycled at the plant to 50 tonnes each month. It will also create more than 30 jobs for young people wanting the enter the waste sector as well as educating the wider community on potential value of materials they currently consider as waste. The charity will draw on its wide network to open up end markets for the collected and recycled waste – helping to increase the economic outlook across the region.

This World Environment Day It’s Time To Think Global, Act Local

The scale of the global environmental crisis can often feel overwhelming. That’s why WasteAid’s mantra of think global, act local has never been more needed.

By working at a local level, supported by regional, national, and international partners we are delivering sustainable improvements that not only help remove waste and other harmful pollutants from communities but also deliver health, economic, and educational benefits too.

This World Environmental Day we’re shining the spotlight on some of our projects that are helping to transform lives.

The art of waste management in South Africa

Using art and music to inspire and educate the community of Masibamisane in South Africa turned to dance, rap, and song to educate people about the value of waste. The Waste Aid project, funded by WRAP and UK Research and Innovation, focused on removing the stigma of collecting waste by highlighting how repurposing materials, instead of burning them or sending them to landfill, can lead to increased economic opportunity, improved livelihoods, and better public health while protecting the environment.

As part of the same project, WasteAid worked in partnership with the University of Portsmouth and the Department for Agriculture, Rural Development Land and Environmental Affairs (DARDLEA) to test new approaches for separating, decontaminating, collecting and processing waste including low value plastic. Our whole system approach to waste ‘from household to end markets’ was rigorously tested during the project and the findings are helping to inform our future programmes.

As part of our wider work to support the Circular Economy in South Africa funded with an initial investment from Huhtamaki in 2020 , WasteAid has now run four programmes in country developing a network of engaged members to tackle the waste crisis and to support local environmental innovators and grassroots ‘wastepreneurs’ develop the skills needed to grow their environmental businesses.

Painting the town green

WasteAid in partnership with the Chartered Institute of Wastes Management (CIWM) supported the creation of an eye-catching mural on the perimeter wall of the Bakoteh Dumpsite in The Gambia to promote awareness and educate the community on the environmental dangers of burning and dumping waste. The Bakoteh dumpsite occupies a 1 sq/km space right in the centre of the country’s capital which means the mural cannot be missed by residents and visitors alike when travelling around Banjul.

The team worked with community members, volunteers and the Dennakuwo Circular Economy Network to successfully launch the programme which aimed to get people talking about the campaign and create a sense of public ownership to encourage a change in behaviour.

Empowering young people in Cameroon

In partnership with Douala III and IV Municipalities and a local plastic recycling enterprise, WasteAid provided young vulnerable and unemployed people in Cameroon with the skills and knowledge to enable them to gain long-term jobs in the green economy.

This UK government-funded project saw the group collect plastic waste from local markets and businesses, after which it was recycled or shredded and sold on to plastic recycling companies. The project in total trained 165 young people in waste, business and life skills and removed almost 50 tonnes of plastic from the environment that would otherwise be destined for rivers, gutters and landfill.

WasteAid, an environmental and development charity working to implement sustainable waste management and inclusive circular economy programmes across the globe has appointed a new chairman.

The UK-based non-profit organisation, has welcomed environmental entrepreneur Jonathan Straight in the role on its board of trustees.

WasteAid works with communities and policymakers in low and middle-income countries to implement waste management and recycling programmes. WasteAid’s work improves livelihoods where training and employment opportunities are often lacking, supports grassroots entrepreneurs and promotes circular economy innovation contributing to a cleaner and healthier future for all. Waste management helps address some of the world’s most pressing issues and is critical to achieving sustainable development; the organisation has most recently implemented programmes in Cameroon, Egypt, India, South Africa, The Gambia, and Vietnam.

Programmes conceived and run by WasteAid are helping to reduce climate emissions by reducing the amount of waste that is burned, creating livelihood opportunities for vulnerable communities, improving people’s health and well-being and helping keep plastics out of the world’s oceans.

Previously a trustee with WasteAid, Dr Straight has an impressive track record in the recycling industry spanning three decades across public and private sector organisations. He was a pioneer in the waste industry in the UK, establishing the country’s leading supplier of waste and recycling containers, which he headed for 21 years before exiting in 2014.

Dr Straight said: “WasteAid’s mission is very close to my heart and I’m looking forward to working with the board and the wider team to help the continued expansion of our activity. At a time when the world is facing an environmental crisis, WasteAid and its partners have a critical role to play in empowering local communities to safely manage their waste while also delivering important socioeconomic benefits at a grassroots level.”

Straight previously chaired food recyclers, The Real Junk Food Project, and was a non-executive director of Waterwise for 10 years. Today, along with his role as chairman of WasteAid, he is a trustee with several other charities, a board advisor to surplus food traders, Surplus Group Limited, and a member of the British Library Advisory Council.

Dr Straight takes over as chair of the board from Sarahjane Widdowson who has ably steered the charity through a phenomenal period of growth since 2015. Ms Widdowson will still remain on the board of trustees.

Ceris Turner-Bailes, Chief Executive, WasteAid, added: “We are delighted to welcome Jonathan as chairman and equally offer our heartfelt thanks to Sarahjane for her tireless work for the charity.
Jonathan offers a wealth of expertise in the field of recycling and his commercial knowledge and charitable work are invaluable to us. I look forward to working with him closely as WasteAid continues to develop.

“Jonathan will bring a strong governance voice to the charity as we strive to promote and share locally appropriate, evidence-based and inclusive waste management practices, supporting and empowering others to take positive action.”

Now in its ninth year, WasteAid has grown from strength to strength and has more than quadrupled in size since 2020.

Plastic waste is causing major environmental and health challenges in Cameroon. The country produces more than 600,000 tonnes of plastic every year with only 20% being recycled. The dumping and burning of waste cause the spread of disease, pollute land, air and water sources, and contribute to climate change. If its disposal is not properly managed discarded plastic can block drainage channels and make flooding worse for affected communities.

Blocked drains provide breeding grounds for mosquitoes and increase the spread of disease. If plastic is burned, it releases harmful emissions that can damage people’s health and contribute to the climate crisis.

WasteAid has been working in Cameroon since 2020 to fight plastic pollution both on land and in the sea by providing sustainable, practical solutions that not only address the environmental and health challenges of pollution but also empower and educate the communities where we are active.

WasteAid is taking part in the Big Give’s Green Match Fund campaign, which means that any donation made to WasteAid through our campaign link below will be DOUBLED until 27^th April.

Double your impact!

“I am 20 years old. I didn’t go to school this year because of financial issues… Now I know the different types of plastics. I didn’t know the positive impact that it may have just to recycle a bottle and now I keep my environment clean. By working in waste collection, I kept money so that next year, I will get back to school. Right now, I can say that I know many things about plastics. I would like to truly thank the project for this opportunity”

Fernanda – WasteAid programme participant.

Donate this Earth Day and help WasteAid support more people like Fernanda.

£8 doubled could provide the tools to turn woody waste into sustainable cooking fuel

£13 doubled could help promote our challenge funds that provide business incubation support to local entrepreneurs

£25 doubled could provide 10 bulk bags to enable waste collectors to collect more plastic waste and prevent it from going to landfill

£50 doubled could secure training for informal waste-collectors to increase the value of waste collected and improve health and safety practices

£125 doubled could provide a set of digital scales to ensure transparency and fair payment for waste collectors

£250 doubled could provide two plastic collection points in a community to reduce plastic in the environment

Donate today