By: Joyce Kantam Kolamong
Change often begins with a single pair of hands. In a world drowning in plastic, the hands of women are weaving a new story — one where waste becomes art, pollution becomes opportunity, and empowerment is stitched into every product they create.
In a small workshop in Tamale, in the Northern region, a group of 30 young and determined women are turning plastic waste into a source of income and a symbol of hope. With the help of CORD Ghana, (Centre for Opportunities and Rural Development) a climate action NGO, under its Sustainable Energy Waste to Resource Initiative, these women have learned how to transform discarded plastic bags, bottles, lids and cardboard into beautiful and functional products such as handbags, wallets, slippers, flowers, flower vase and other accessories. The women, who come from different backgrounds and age groups, share a common goal: to make a living and contribute to their families’ well-being while also helping to reduce the plastic waste that has become a major environmental concern in the metropolis and Ghana at large.
The Plastic Waste Problem
Ghana generates over 20,000 tons of plastic waste daily, with a significant portion of it ending up in landfills and water bodies. The Northern region particularly Tamale metropolis and Sagnarigu municipality have had its fair share of the plastic waste menace. The improper disposal of plastic waste has led to clogged drains, flooding, and the pollution of water bodies, posing a significant threat to the environment and human health.
Waste management remains a significant challenge, and the lack of a proper waste management system means that recycling is not an option, resulting in plastic waste being left to accumulate in open dumpsites around communities, rivers, and oceans. In many places, communities try to solve this problem by burning the waste. However, this can cause more problems as burning plastic releases toxic gases into the atmosphere causing air pollution. The most common single-use plastics seen everywhere in Ghana and in the Northern region are those used for meals and drinking water, which are simply discarded into the environment.
The Solution
The Sustainable Energy Waste to Resource Initiative, a programme facilitated by CORD Ghana in collaboration with the Department of Women, aims to empower the women with skills to create products from plastic waste. The programme is not only providing a source of income for the women but also promoting sustainable practices and reducing the amount of plastic waste that ends up in landfills, drainage facilities and water bodies.
The Women behind the Programme
The women who have undergone the training are a testament to the power of determination and hard work. They come from different walks of life, but they share a common passion for creating something meaningful out of nothing.
“I used to think that plastic waste was useless, but now I see it as a resource,” says Pascalina, a midwife in Tamale, one of the beneficiaries of the programme. “I am proud to be part of this initiative and I am excited to see where it takes me.” As an enthusiast of recycling, Pascalina looks forward to creating wealth from waste and training young ones to help address the plastic waste menace in their communities.
She says climate change is real and a health emergency, hence her urge to explore ways to use things around her to create a better living.
The Products
The training was practical but simple. It taught them self-employment skills to turn or up-cycle readily available trash such as plastic waste bags into home use items, such as wall-hanging fruit bowls, stools, flower vases, necklaces, handbags and bangles. The programme beneficiaries can generate an additional income by selling these items. Through the project, the women can become financially independent whilst contributing to a positive impact on environmental sustainability and climate change. The products created by the women are not only functional but also stylish and unique. The finished products are unique for homes, offices, schools restaurants among other interesting places
The Impact
The impact of the Sustainable Energy Waste to Resource Initiative goes beyond just providing a source of income for the women. It is also promoting sustainable practices and reducing the amount of plastic waste that ends up in landfills and water bodies. “The programme will not only give me a source of income, but it will also give me a sense of purpose,” says Mulaika Iddrisu, a graduate, gender advocate and a beneficiary. “I am proud to be part of this initiative and I am excited to see the impact it will have on my community.” As an entrepreneur producing liquid soaps, Mulaika hopes to venture into event decorations where she will be producing flowers, bouquet, Christmas and other paraphernalia
The Future
Following the successful conclusion of the life-changing programme, the beneficiaries, the majority of whom are young women, are expected to apply their newly learnt skills to contribute to the community’s socioeconomic growth through innovative waste management and up-cycling techniques. They will also act as ambassadors in their local communities, advocating behavioral change and encouraging community involvement in environmental stewardship.
A Co-Founder and Programme and Policy Leader to CORD Ghana, Esther Nyamekye Opoku stated that CORD Ghana acknowledges that plastic waste is a serious problem, which is why climate change/action and Green Jobs are part of its programme outline.
“If we are able to link the issue of reducing plastic, re-using plastic and recycling plastic, then we can gradually achieve climate action and reduced pollution which is an environmental problem, not only to our health, but to the environment that we depend on. So we are actually looking at a community that will also gain resources in a more circular economy for sustainable environment for all”.
CORD Ghana aims to expand the scope of the Trainer of trainers’ programme where selected trainers will take an advanced lesson for onward training to other young ones with close supervision. This is to expand the scope of re-use and reducing plastic waste with the objective of seeing a change in the region.
The Northern Regional Department of Gender collaborated with CORD Ghana for the two day training. Its Regional Director, Madam Bushira Alhassan, said having more women in the environmental management and sustainability space in the fight against climate change is more welcoming than ever since the issue of climate change affect women more. She said, “Some years back, Tamale was taunted as the cleanest city in West Africa but now see what is happening, people throw rubbish indiscriminately. So it is not just the training we are having, we are also embarking on community sensitization to educate the public on how they can manage waste in a sustainable way”.
The Sustainable Energy Waste to Resource Initiative is a model that can be replicated across communities in the region. By empowering women with skills to create products from plastic waste, sustainable practices are promoted, plastic waste reduced, and livelihood for many women are assured. With the right support and resources, this initiative can become a sustainable business model that benefits not only the women but also the environment and the community at large.
