Project Detail

Phindu mu Zinyalala: Youth Enterprises for Waste Management

The project responds to the climate change by addresing factors that underly Malawi's vulnerability ti to calimate change. Malawi is one of the most climate fragile countries in the world, this has had adverse impact on the majority of people especially youth who make up over half of the population. In recent years, low-income countries like Malawi have experienced serious and unprecedented floods and droughts on account of climate change which is exacerbated by poor solid waste management despite producing less waste than wealthier nations with consequent effects on key socio-economic sectors and consequently on the economy.

Malawi is facing significant challenges in dealing with rising levels of waste which contributes directly to greenhouse gas emissions through the generation of carbon dioxide and methane which is created when decomposition occurs and the emission of nitrous oxide from solid waste combustion facilities which cause global warming and climate change.

Blantyre City produces about 300 tons of waste per day of which only 28% is collected by the municipality. Rapid population growth, urbanisation, economic development and the consequent increase in consumption have led to a worsening in the City?s solid waste management. According to the Performance Audit Report on Waste Management by the City Councils (2014), systems for the collection and disposal of waste are inefficient and ineffective, resulting in waste being improperly deposited in the streets and residential areas which ends up polluting rivers.

The Blantyre City Council, Department of Health and Social Welfare Services adds that improper waste disposal is prevalent at markets where solid waste poses health concerns and creates an eyesore. The Blantyre city council provides a collection vehicle (and semi-controlled dumping) of waste in formal areas while informal areas are left unserved. In instances where waste is not collected by the council, it is either left on road sides or river banks, which has resulted in surface and ground water ontamination.

The need to urgently address poor waste management cannot be overemphasized. However, for any intervention to be successful, there is need for meaningful involvement of groups traditionally left out of policies and programs.
This situational analysis points to the need for integrated action that is geared towards climate change mitigation through implementation of solid waste management strategies that will be sufficient to offset the impact of poorly managed solid waste whilst promoting a youth-led circular economy around waste management. The Samaritan Trust thus proposes a project that will facilitate youth participation in tackling poor waste management which contributes to climate change by implementing strategies that mitigate its adverse effects. The proposed project seeks to promote sustainable solid waste management using innovative approaches that create value for the same communities that have produced the waste.

The project therefore seeks to facilitate the participation of youth in climate change impact mitigation through establishment of community youth led enterprises in waste management. The expected results of the proposed project are enhanced public knowledge on solid waste management, The primary objective of the proposed project is to facilitate the participation of youth in climate change impact mitigation through establishment of community youth led enterprises in waste management. The expected results of the proposed project are enhanced public knowledge on solid waste management, 80(48F/32M) youth are trained in solid waste management entrepreneurship and 6 community youth led solid waste management enterprises are set up. The primary objective of the proposed project is to facilitate the participation of youth in climate change impact mitigation through establishment of community youth led enterprises in waste management. The expected results of the proposed project are enhanced public knowledge on solid waste management, 80(48F/32M) youth are trained in solid waste management entrepreneurship and 6 community youth led solid waste management enterprises are set up. 80(48F/32M) youth are trained in solid waste management entrepreneurship and 6 community youth led solid waste management enterprises are set up.

Project Snapshot

Grantee:

The Samaritan Trust

Country:

Malawi

Area Of Work:

Climate Change Mitigation

Operational Phase:

OP7 Y6 (July 25-June 26)

Grant Amount:

US$ 49,993.61

Co-Financing Cash:

Co-Financing in-Kind:

Project Number:

MLW/SGP/OP7/Y1/CORE/CW/2022/04

Start Date:

1/2023

End Date:

1/2024

Status:

Currently under execution

Project Characteristics and Results

Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment

Communication regarding the project will include development of project information and posters which will all include GEF logo, inviting national press to project activities as well as handing out visibility material during activities. The project has in-built dissemination through community roadshows which will use experiential strategies to engage with the public and sensitize them on the need to be environmentally conscious in use of energy and waste management. These roadshows will provide an opportunity for direct interproject with the public and allow for greater engagement of diverse actors in the field.

Policy Impact

Replication of project activities

One of the major strengths of this project is its replicability in other settings within Malawi and beyond. Skills and education training in the area of waste management will foster increased innovation. The world over, there is an increase in innovation around products made from waste materials. Whilst this project focuses on the products relevant to Blantyre, there is scope to innovate and diversify on waste material products in order to achieve a circular economy across the country.

Inovative Financial Mechanisms

Samaritan Trust will develop monitoring tools to track and inform learning in the project through the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Officer. The Samaritan has a database of partners in Africa and Europe; therefore, it will implement virtual south to south exchanges to learn, share and adapt ideas and best practices implemented by partners across the globe. The project will also Implement Midline and Endline studies for the programme in close collaboration with GEF SGP. The project will Produce a detailed quarterly and annual Monitoring Evaluation and Learning (MEL) reports and roll out impact studies. The Samaritan Trust will document the best practices and publish together with one of its existing partners i.e., Malawi of University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS) to ensure sustainability and durable relevance.

Capacity - Building Component

TST require capacity strengthening in Project Monitoring and Evaluation.

Significant Participation of Indigenous Peoples

The project address local drivers of ecosystem degradation in in Blantyre. It is believed that the socio-economic status of the inhabitants. Since drivers to poor waste management is local, compounded by different factors, such as poverty and also lack of knowledge and skills among the local inhabitants in waste management, the project target indigenous youths to participate in addressing the local challenges while improving their income status.

Policy Influence

The project does not directly influence policy changes

Notable Community Participation

The project is pro-youth. It primarily seeks to facilitate the participation of youth in climate change impact mitigation through establishment of community youth led enterprises in waste management. The expected results of the proposed project are enhanced public knowledge on solid waste management, 80(48F/32M) youth are trained in solid waste management entrepreneurship and 6 community youth led solid waste management enterprises are set up.

Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods

The project will train youths in waster solid waste management entrepreneurship. this will not only manage the wastes but also be a source of livelihood for youths.

Project sustainability

The proposed project has built-in strategies to ensure financial sustainability beyond the project timeframe. By integrating the circular economy approach to the waste problem in Blantyre, the project will ensure sustained interest by the target group to continue acting as agents in climate change impact mitigation. Products made through the project can be easily sold to the public at a margin which will continue generating income for the youth and women, thereby financially sustaining the objective of the project. In terms of project?s ability to continue existing beyond the duration of the funding cycle, the ?Phindu mu Zinyalala: Youth enterprises for sustainable waste management? project will create structures that will enable youth to continue actively participating in the area of waste management. The first of such strategies is the mainstreaming of waste management through delivery of a skills and education program targeted at increasing youth knowledge and awareness of the issue. This will ensure ownership of the challenge by youth whilst building their capacity to champion the processes of projects geared toward climate change impact mitigation. By creating youth interprises, the objective of facilitating the participation of youth in climate change impact mitigation will be sustained beyond the project duration.

Planning gef grant

The results and lessons learned from the project will be the basis for scaling up to a medium-sized GEF grant

Planning non gef grant

The results and lessons learned from the project will be the basis for scaling up to non-GEF grant

Linkages gef projects

There are no direct linkages to GEF project

Gender Focus

Traditionally, men are regarded as decision makers and provide for the homes. Women are burdened with day-to-day home chores. They are therefore hardest hit by the impacts of loss of ecosystem services, since most of the household chores and provisions depend on ecosystems services. this also affects men, who depend on the ecosystems to provide for the homes. There is generally power imbalance that lead to inequalities between men and women, especially in decision making and asset ownership. The project will promote women's participation by registering 60% women and 40 % men. The common theme among these marginalized groups is that they have poor/low access to education or training and remain voiceless even in pertinent issues that affect their lives. The Samaritan Trust will recruit both women and men through incentivization of waste collections and recycling.

Project Results

The project has the following expected results:
1) Increased public awareness on solid waste management
2) Youth are trained in solid waste management entrepreneurship
3) Youth led community solid waste management enterprises are set up.

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Indicators

Livehood

Number of individuals (gender diaggregated) who have benefited* from SGP project 80

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