Waste Management organizations urge waste pickers to be recognized and valued

One of the waste pickers receiving medical care from Dr. Emmanuel John (Left)from the Magrefa Healthcare Clinic during the Community Service Day tailored for waste pickers organized in partnership between Nipe Fagio and Taka Ni Ajira Foundation held at Pugu Dumpsite, in Ilala municipality, last Friday in Dar es Salaam. More than 400 waste pickers were provided with medical checkups, meals, and entertainment services. (Photos by Our Photographer).

 

 Dar es Salaam - Tanzania:  As we approach the Global Waste Pickers Day on March 1^st 2023, Nipe Fagio and TakaNiAjira Foundation urge the government and the civil society to recognize and value the waste pickers’ efforts towards keeping the country’s environment clean and healthier. 

The two organizations have joined hands to organize a series of events, including Waste Picker registration, Community Service Days and a national convening on the 9^th of March as part of their recently launched ‘Waste Pickers Programme’ that aims to honour Waste Pickers and their contribution to the waste management sector.  

The Community Service Days are happening from February 10^th to February 17^th in Dar es Salaam as a way to celebrate Waste Pickers by providing them with key services like medical checkups to know their health status, meals and refreshments, barber and hairdressing services, etc. 

Speaking during the event at Mji Mwema in Kigamboni, Nipe Fagio Executive Director, Ana Le Rocha said: “We are happy to give back to Waste Pickers in this special and meaningful way to honour their contribution to the waste recovery sector and the environment in general.

That’s why together with Taka Ni Ajira, we urge the government and the entire community to respect their work by recognizing and valuing their contribution,” Ana said. 

Ana said that although the contribution of Waste Pickers to waste management is essential, waste pickers face many challenges and threats to their livelihoods. “They are vulnerable as they face many challenges including health threats, therefore we hope that services like the ones offered during Community Service Days will be important to them,” she noted. 

On his part, Nipe Fagio Community Mobilization Officer, while explaining the series of events done so far since last week, Mr Amiri Bakari said: “ So far more than 400 Waste Pickers from Jangwani (Ilala), Kibo (Ubungo), Saku (Temeke), and Ferry (Kigamboni) have received various community services, particularly medical checkups and today we have registered more than 405 Waste Pickers here at Pugu Dumpsite, Ilala” 

He explained that apart from the Community Service Day, Nipe Fagio together with Taka Ni Ajira Foundation is organizing ‘The Global Waste Pickers Summit’ which will bring together waste pickers, informal waste workers, waste management stakeholders, and media in one place to share success stories, challenges, and to advocate for long-term recognition of these important waste management actors.