Cape Town experiences rapid urbanisation. There are around 146,000 households in 437 informal settlement pockets. Increase in informal settlements brings with it several challenges, including poverty, unemployment, environmental degradation, tenure insecurity, overburdened public services, unsafe places and poor waste management!
Waste management is a significant and largely untapped opportunity for transformative change. Research shows that there is ample opportunity in alternative material recovery, recycling, and sorting of waste in the informal settlements, as well as in establishing long term partnerships between community-based groups and the City of Cape Town.
VPUU’s waste to resource approach is built on the principles of community owned solutions, environmental education and social enterprise opportunities and aims at making the most of a range of recycling opportunities!
210825_WASTE-STATION-BROCHURE_website-1Through community learning programmes covering individual and neighbourhood household waste management training.
The community clean up component provides a hands-on awareness tool on the impact of pollution. It empowers residents to take control of the situation in their own community. Regular community clean up events and awareness campaigns foster the community’s involvement in improving their Quality of Life.
210825_WASTE-STATION-BROCHURE_website-2Households are supplied with a Bokashi food composting starting kit, comprising a waste bin with flakes and trained on how to use the system to manage their food waste at home.
Community social enterprise development is run via the Siyayijika Programme.
Find out more about the Siyayijika Programme?
The ultimate aim of handing over the management of the Waste Station to the community as an ongoing, sustainable social enterprise.
Credits:
Featured Image: https://www.ashrafhendricks.com/informal-living
A youth walks past rubbish in the Marikana informal settlement in Philiipi, Cape Town on 5 September 2017. Many informal settlements lack basic services such as proper sanitation and waste removal.