Monrovia — Over 100 community members in Pipeline and 72nd Communities in Paynesville have benefitted from a daylong training in waste management, aimed at enabling them to curb the stockpile of waste in their environs but to use it for economic gains.
The community dwellers, who were also enlightened on gender mainstreaming in waste management were also taught how to sort waste properly and produce them into biodegradable compost as well as plastic design materials.
The training is the second phase of the Golden Waste Solutions Enterprise Inc., through its Community Waste Management Project which is focused on advancing endeavors to address pressing issues of waste management in Paynesville City and its environs.
As an initial phase of the organization's Community Waste Management Project, Golden Waste Solutions Enterprise Inc., trained 105 students from various schools in Paynesville, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to become champions of sustainable waste management within their respective communities.
However, the second phase, which targeted community members in the two communities as well as others passionate about waste management, was organized in commemoration of World Cities Day, with a primary focus on the youth.
On the other hand, Liberia is faced with improper waste management, which is resulting in public health threats and the need to address them remains a key emphasis of
Golden Waste Solutions Enterprise Inc.
Hence, Ms. Kiadiatu Sheriff, the President of the group sees the need for a concerted effort to tackle improper waste management thus engaging various sectors in the country.
The second phase of the project began with a stakeholder engagement to brainstorm on needed strategies to address the said concern.
Madam Sheriff told the gathering of majority women that understanding waste management is important to their everyday lives and would also empower them economically.
As such, she encouraged the community members who benefitted from the training to serve as ambassadors of change in their respective communities.
She explained that this is not just limited to community dwellers, but has also trained students and will also target marketers who are contributors to a stockpile of waste in the country.
Sheriff said it was important that these community members participate in the training because most of the waste is produced from various homes within various communities.
Miss Sheriff said the project has its focus of reaching a total of 420 beneficiaries by the end of its implementation but with key emphasis on reaching an additional 315 individuals from Paynesville's markets and homes, which will amplify the project.
This expansion, according to her, will ensure that the beneficiaries extend beyond the communities, engaging a broader cross-section of the society.
"The plan is to recruit and train 210 individuals from the local markets and households and an additional 105 from schools in the Paynesville area," Kiadiatu Sheriff told the media recently when they implemented the project in Paynesville.
She believed this comprehensive approach would create a ripple effect, empowering diverse stakeholders to adopt and champion sustainable waste management practices.
According to the Waste Management Practitioner, the success of the project will thus far be possible through strong collaborative partnerships that will be established with the community members.
Miss Sheriff further explained that by building on these foundations, the team will continue to explore opportunities to forge new alliances with community-based organizations, waste management companies, and local authorities.
In these partnerships, she maintained, would provide support and ensure the long-term sustainability of the project.
"By aligning with key stakeholders, the team can better coordinate efforts, share best practices, and create and recommend a cohesive framework for waste management in the Paynesville region," Miss Sheriff added.
Therefore, as a means of measuring the Impact of the project and refining strategies, she hopes the team will remain committed to closely monitoring and evaluating its progress.
However, Miss Sheriff noted that the success of the project will be made possible if regular data are collected and analysis is done to help identify areas of success and opportunities for improvement, allowing the project to adapt and refine its strategies as needed.
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"The ultimate goal is to create a replicable model of community-driven waste management that can be scaled and implemented in other parts of Paynesville and beyond. By empowering individuals, fostering collaborative partnerships, and continuously improving the project's approach, the community waste management initiative is poised to drive sustainable change and transform the way waste is managed in the region." Miss Sheriff added.
Also speaking during the project, Madam Agatha Togba of the Ministry of Gender presentation provided insight to women on practical waste management and called on them to remain enthusiastic about proper waste management beginning with their homes.
She said an including gender approach to mitigating improper waste management would help free Liberia from potential illnesses and diseases.
Madam Togba then lauded Golden Waste Solutions Enterprise Inc., for its continued efforts to educate Liberians on proper waste management.
