Turning waste into opportunity
Empowering communities and creating jobs in Shashemene, EthiopiaValue 4 Waste
In the town of Shashemene in Ethiopia, littering of the environment with plastic and paper waste is a huge and growing problem. In May 2021, BEWI initiated a project together with Norwegian Church Aid (NCA), and Tamra for Social Development Organization (TSD) aiming to turning waste into a valuable resource empowering communities and creating job opportunities.
Through the Value for Waste project BEWI has aimed to:
Reduce littering
Collect waste for recycling
Raising awareness about waste as a valuable resource
Creating job and entrepreneurship opportunities
To gain insight into the project, we spoke with Camilla Bjerkli, BEWI’s Sustainability Director, about the project’s achievements.
What role has BEWI played in supporting the project?
BEWI has actively supported the project by providing financial resources, sharing expertise in solid waste management, and offering guidance on best practices. Our involvement has allowed us to contribute to a cause that aligns with our values and helps create a more sustainable future.
How have the local communities responded to the project?
The response from local communities has been very positive. They have actively participated in cleaning their environment and collecting plastic and paper waste. The project has also created job opportunities for over 150 individuals involved in waste collection, transportation, and recycling. This has not only contributed to environmental cleanliness but has also provided income for the community members.
One of the project's main goals is to create job and entrepreneurship opportunities for young men and women. Can you discuss the successes in this area?
The project aimed to create permanent job opportunities for 20 young women and men by establishing them into SMEs (Small and Micro Enterprises) focused on waste collection and recycling. As a result, these established SMEs have provided consistent income for their members, with 17 women and 3 men working in the waste collection sector. The project has also linked 150 informal waste collectors to the established SMEs, further expanding the waste collection and recycling network in Shashemene.