Manja Pamodzi Foundation Limited (MPFL) is thriving in contributing to the green economy agenda through creating awareness on the benefits of recycling post-consumer solid waste such as plastic, cardboards and paper whilst offering business opportunities to local communities.
True to its name, Manja Pamodzi (meaning working together) is calling for team-work in promoting Green, Clean and Healthy cities in Zambia. Having recently celebrated the Global Recycling Day, Manja Pamodzi remains committed to spreading recycling awareness through its various environmental activities and training programs in the communities through collaborations with Zambia Environmental Management Agency, Lusaka City Council, schools, colleges and universities such as the University of Zambia (UNZA), Evelyn Hone College, National Institute of Public Administration (NIPA) among others.
In 2021, the recycling initiative collected over six hundred tons of recyclable materials and is confident that this number can be doubled or even tripled by combining expertise and resources with various stakeholders.
Manja Pamodzi realizes the tremendous impact education and awareness play in waste segregation and recycling in the communities as well as improving hygiene and sanitation in townships. Waste is a part of everyday life but there is more that can be done to ensure that the negative impacts are reduced or done away with.
The effects of climate change are more visible than ever before, both at home and around the world. The need for better solid waste management and disposal has never been louder than now.
Through the Zambia Environmental Management Agency’s (ZEMA) Extended Producer Responsibility Regulations, the Manja Pamodzi recycling initiative has extended partnerships to more industry stakeholders like British American Tobacco (BAT), Yalelo Fisheries and Java Foods Limited to ensure maximum utilization of industrial waste and advocating solid waste management (SWM).
The Manja Pamodzi recycling initiative is not only a one stop solution to EPR Regulations compliance but is also aligned with the Green Economy and Environmental Protection agenda in which the production of goods and services is done with negligible levels of pollution to the land, air and water.
Stakeholders such as manufacturers, distributors, importers, traders, and retailers all have a key role to play in the advocating and implementation of sustainable packaging, recycling, and promotion of good waste management practices.
The recycling initiative pioneered by Zambian Breweries Plc – a subsidiary of ABInBev, in 2015 has grown to positively impact communities in Lusaka Province with over 10,000 direct beneficiaries in 13 townships – -the majority of whom are women and the youth. The long-term aspiration of MPFL is, through recycling, to have more independent players, on the Board of Directors and Management, to positively influence the course of developing a more Green, Clean and Healthy country.
