Take ownership of your environment - Deo

TAKE ownership of your environment, the little choices we make in terms of how we manage household waste and littering will have a big impact.

This was the message from Amitesh Deo, the CEO of Waste Recyclers Fiji Ltd (WRFL) and founder of the Pacific Recycling Foundation (PRF).

He said while the challenge was being issued to individuals, WRFL and PRF were heavily involved in assisting people involved in waste picking and recycling in Fiji.

“Just in its first year, PRF has organised various empowerment programs for the collection pillars of recycling (formerly known as informal waste pickers) who come from some of our most vulnerable communities,” he said.

Mr Deo said this included workshops on gender, human rights, legal literacy, financial literacy and personal well-being in partnership with the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and other partners.

“These workshops were based on PRF and WRFL’s realisation of the lack of understanding of basic human rights of those involved in waste picking.

“These workshops were also conducted in recognition of what we witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns where we had to assist waste pickers, mainly women, and those from vulnerable communities with food and dignity packs.

“In addition to this, PRF is carrying out research work in partnership with other organisations to empower the collection pillars of recycling to eventually move into the formal sector through Green Jobs with the setting up of recycling and upcycling facilities in Fiji.”