Coca cola foundation has given out Sh7.2 million to a conservation association in Watamu, Kilifi County.
The association says it’s planning to buy a plastic recycling machine and protective gear.
Watamu Marine Association’s Ecoworld recycling centre which has been at the forefront in the recycling of plastic and solid waste management got will use the funding to boost the efforts in recycling and create jobs for the community and promote conservation efforts on the beaches.
Watamu Marine Association and Eco World Recycling project manager Steve Trot said the partnership between the Cocacola foundation, WMA and Ecoworld recycling is going to change the dynamics of plastic recycling in the county.
Speaking during the official ceremony of receiving the cheque from Cocacola Foundation at the Ecoworld Centre Trot said the project aims at empowering women and youths for the plastic circular economy adding that it will create value chains and income for over Five hundred women and youth in Kilifi county.
The project manager said Ecoworld will set up buyback schemes to pay women and youths who collect plastic wastes on the beaches, towns and villages per every kilo of plastic collected.
” We recruit, we mobilise those teams, we provide them with PPEs, gloves uniforms, boots, they will be empowered to be plastic waste collectors and recyclers,” he said.
Trot said the material will be taken to the recovery centre at the eco world in Watamu and processed by the machines.
He said Cocacola foundation will use Sh. 6 million for buying machinery and equipment that will help them reach their plastic recycling targets.
Normally he said they collect around 20 tonnes of plastic monthly but with the machinery, through the partnership, they are targeting 0 tonnes a month in Kilifi and Mombasa counties.
“That is going to be a game changer, it’s going to change waste management effectiveness and waste management capacity in our county, its going to create employment, jobs, income and the women and youth are going to be the drivers of this new plastic circular economy, he said.
Trot said they started the initiative 10 years ago with the beach clean-up in Watamu Marine park with the community, youth groups, hotels, and KWS which grew after realising plastic had value.
So far he said they have a recycling facility, vehicles, a management plan and work with all hotels, NGOs, county government, and national government.
“Plastic waste is a global challenge it’s a challenge to our environment, and our Oceans but we are in the business of finding solutions and those solutions are kickstarting a plastic circular economy to empower women and youth to collect plastic for recycling, he said.
Pauline Mwaura from Coastal Bottlers limited who acted as a Representative of Coca Cola Foundation said as a bottler company their aim is to support the community.
She said the foundation gave Sh. 7.2 million to Ecoworld recycling that will support women and youth to create a plastic circular economy.
“By Circular economy, it means you can collect plastic and sell it to get cash,” she said.
Mwaura said the foundation has also funded a similar project in Mombasa county through WWF that was launched in March 2022.
She said as responsible plastic producers it’s their responsibility to come up with such projects for the community.
We can’t just leave it to the society around us we have to also participate and this is why we are very honoured to partner with people like Ecoworld and WWF and every other project that would be coming henceforth, she said.
Kilifi County Director of Environment Zena Mohamed said the project is set to benefit the community by collecting waste for cash.
She said plastic has been a challenge globally adding that in Kenya alone over 37,000 tonnes of plastic waste go to the Ocean annually which affects marine life.
Mohamed said such projects are important to create jobs and also conserve the environment.
Dadley Kiluhula the Warden Watamu Marine National Park and Reserve (KWS) said the project seeks to empower women and youth to fight plastic pollution in the ocean.
he said Ecoworld has been supportive of the recycling of plastics in the marine protected area.
“I urge the community to work closely with Ecoworld and other organisations so as to manage plastics, he said
Currently, he said beaches in Watamu are clean because of the cooperation with the community and organisations such as WMA and other conservation groups.
Roseline Nabala from WMA said they were happy with the funding as it would help them get income.
“When we are empowered and supported we will be able to collect plastics on a daily basis because the economy is tough goods are expensive such as flour which is Sh. 200 but by empowering a woman you are empowering a nation, she said.
She thanked Coca-Cola foundation for the funding and asked the county and national government to support them too so as to conserve the environment and also transform their lives.
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