An environmental oriented organization operating under the name Youth Action For Success and Development (YASD) has unavailed an ambitious project that will see market users at Nkhora in Dedza district collect waste materials from the market which will then be recycled into reusable products.
Apart from helping in keeping the market clean, the project will also help in promoting the spirit of recycling.
YASD founder and executive director, Edward Chidombe Msiska has told ProjectM in an interview that through the initiative, market users will also be imparted with knowledge on how they can turn waste into valuable eco-friendly products such as compost manure and wrist bands, just to mention a few.
“As YASD, we have partnered with Nkhora market committee in a partnership that will help in disseminating messages about the advantages of waste recycling like we have been doing in other markets in Lilongwe,” Msiska said.
Msiska said among others, vendors plying their trade in the market have already been equipped with knowledge on how they can collect waste and grade it into raw materials that can be used for recycling.
“For instance, we have taught them on how they can turn market waste into compost manure and turn plastics people throw anywhere in markets into stylish wrist bands,” said Msiska.
A launch marking the beginning of the project was conducted on Wednesday where a team of forty vibrant youth and women partnered with Nkhora market committee in cleaning the market.
Waste collected on the day was delivered to a local farmer who will use it for compost manure production.
Hanifa Adam, a vendor plying her trade at the market thanked YASD for introducing the project.
“This project for me is an eye opener because it will help in keeping our market clean and help us in turning waste into profit in the process,” said Adam.
YASD launched a similar project last week in Lilongwe at the Solomon market popularly known as Wakawaka market.
The project is being implemented with support from the IM Swedish Development Partner Southern Africa through a project called Local Green Innovation Project (LOGIC).
