Mon, 26 Dec 2016 11:25:15 +0000
AARON CHIYANZO
ZAMBIAN Breweries, through its Manja Pamodzi environmental clean-up and recycling project, has collected over 6.5 tonnes of waste in Lusaka’s Kalale area in order to minimise litter that can block drains and give rise to diseases.
In a statement, Manja Pamodzi project manager Elaine Kafwimbi said the clean-up and recycling project was initiated to minimise litter that could block drains and cause the outbreak of diseases such as cholera and typhoid during the rainy season.
Ms Kafwimbi said that the project was giving people a sense of worth, a spirit of hope and a future to look forward to.
She said that the project was also helping people of Kalale generate business opportunities and alleviate poverty.
“Apart from minimising litter that could block drains and curbing diseases, the community is being given an opportunity to create their own businesses. People of Kalale generate enterprise opportunities and alleviate poverty,” she said.
Ms Kafwimbi pointed out that the community at Kalale, which is situated near Kalikiliki and Ibex Hill, was also being educated on modern waste management practices, recycling and the importance of maintaining a good environment.
“It is estimated that the groups collected between 290 kg and 1,350 kg of waste at the recent clean-up day launch, with the result that this was the highest amount collected by a community so far,” she said.
Ms Kafwimbi expressed happiness at the number of people who had registered to be part of the project.
And Zambian Breweries corporate affairs director Ezekiel Sekele said it was the first time he had seen so much waste gathered and loaded onto the trucks on a single day.
“This shows that the community have fully embraced the project and want to live in a cleaner and healthier environment whilst generating wealth from waste,” he said.
Mr Sekele said that he hoped other parts of the country would emulate the Manja Pamodzi initiative and keep their environment clean.
