Environmental recycling of solid waste in Teffahta: a project to strengthen women’s participation in local governance and women’s economic empowerment

Al Akhbar newspaper published a report on the project entitled “environmental recycling of solid waste in Teffahta” and which is implemented within the framework of the programme of the Ministry of Social Affairs entitled “strengthening the participation of women in local governance and development”.  The project is implemented, in collaboration with the local municipality and Ard Lubnan association, under the supervision of MOSA development services centre in Bissariyyeh/Zahrani area, and is funded by the Italian Cooperation office at the Italian Embassy.
The report noted that the project was initiated following the completion of a local opinion poll undertaken by MOSA and which showed that women in Teffahta would like to be trained in sorting solid waste and recycling organic and solid waste so that they can address the problem of unregulated rubbish dump which infest their village and cause both air and environmental pollution.  According to one of the activists in the project, Zainab Younes, when the project first kicked off, responsiveness was generally mild and that several field visits were required to convince women to sort their wastes whilst pointing out to the financial benefits of the project.  Indeed, the project has allowed women to engage with peddlers in nearby villages and who specialize in recycled goods namely glass, plastic, cardboard and metal.  Younes also noted that a number of workshops were organized for women in Teffahta to train them on how to sort and recycle household waste and produce products and artifacts that can be re-used.
Finally to be noted that the women of Teffahta have participated with their products in the a recent exhibition of successful and creative local projects, which was held last week at the UNESCO palace in parallel with the national conference on the management of solid waste and which was organized by the Lebanese Environmental Movement.
Source: Al-Akhbar 17 February 2014