Value for Waste

Together with Norwegian Church Aid and the people of Shashemene in Ethiopia, we create value for waste
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Value for Waste

Plastic consumption in Ethiopia has increased dramatically since 2007

But initiatives to manage the waste have not. In the town of Shashemene, plastic pollution has become a major problem. To turn this around, we have initiated a project together with Norwegian Church Aid Ethiopia. The objectives are to reduce plastic and paper pollution while creating jobs and stimulating business development.
Below you can follow the latest updates from Shashemene and learn more about the project.

The project in short:

What we’re doing

Eight bikes with collection trays are available from different locations around Shashemene. They can be used by anyone to drop off waste for recycling. Each kg of waste is rewarded with payment equivalent of a bus ticket. By giving waste a value, we hope to clean up the town and create jobs.

Challenges and solutions

The main challenges are low community awareness and the lack of a system for proper waste collection and management. We need to raise awareness and bring people together through a shared cause, which we can do by setting up an improved waste management policy.
We will also identify the value chain for plastic and paper waste, as well as to engage people and organisations we need to make this happen.

Effects and reach

The project will directly result in engaging 200 young men and women in collecting, sorting and recycling plastic. An estimated minimum net income of the women working group of 20 young people that will be established by this project will amount to 6,800 NOK per month.
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PROJECT UPDATES

WORLD CLEAN-UP DAY

It’s one of the biggest civic movements of our time and unites 180 countries across the world. The goal is a cleaner planet and this year World Clean-up Day united 11 million people in 166 countries.

In Shashemene, thousands of people came out to make the city cleaner. In a few hours, volunteers collected 8,900 kg of waste, out of which 1176 kg was PET bottles.