DID YOU KNOW THE POTENTIAL OF SOME SOLID WASTES?

On august, 2011 I had a field visit to Muleba District aiming at training different community groups on matters pertaining to conservation of natural resources.

A total of fifty (50) participants from five different groups were trained on Fisheries policy/Act, Environmental rights and their responsibilities as defined by different Laws/Acts safeguarding the environment/natural resources.

On the other hand, the training on entrepreneurship skills was conducted to Upendo Women group where they were also given a chance to share their experience with regard to conservation of the environment.

The chairperson of the group, Ms Grace Ndagara said,” Directly or indirectly, Upendo Women group participates in conserving the environment through making baskets that are made of solid wastes including plastic bags, sisal fibres and other shiny nylons poorly diposted in our areas”.
Normally, group members go around collecting these solid wastes and use them as raw materials in making baskets that later on are sold at a price of Tanzanian shillings 10,000 to 20,000/=.

Thus from this activity pendo women group cleans up the environment by reducing the accumulated solid wastes, earn income from selling the baskets and more importantly, some of the baskets designed are used as cookers in which they minimize the use of more energy that would require the use of more firewoods in our cooking stoves.

Therefore, if different community groups and societies at large are trained or given these entreprenurial skills, we would all particpate in reducing the accumulated solid wastes especially the plastic bags and other nylon materials transfroming into more useful commodities that could generate income if sold while on the other hand conserving our environment.
Written by;
Deodatus Kiriba-YET2011