Bulawayo youths have embarked on an income-generating recycling initiative where they pick recyclable waste for resale in an initiative that has seen them alleviating unemployment challenges in the city.
The Evolution Waste Collectors is a group composed of eleven youths formed in July this year. As part of their drive to smart waste recycling, the youths launched an electric environmentally friendly tricycle that, if fully charged, can cover a maximum distance of 200km.
Speaking at the launch, Bulawayo Provincial Affairs minister Judith Ncube hailed the initiative.
“It’s good to see young people creating some jobs for themselves. We have long been talking about every individual in Bulawayo taking charge of themselves and the environment and such startups are for this cause.
“We want a situation whereby even school-going children are involved in cleaning our city. You are just 11 for now but very soon it will be all of us involved,” said Ncube in her address.
The event was also graced by the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) and Environmental Management Agency (EMA) among other stakeholders.
Speaking at the event, Evolution Waste Collectors director, Zenzo Siziba explained what motivated him to come up with the initiative adding that one of their significant motives was to achieve a green economy by 2030.
“The main purpose of this initiative was to help the government to make sure that recyclable waste is picked, recycled and sold. Employment is also hard to find so in this regard I formed a team of young people and formed a group called Evolution Waste Collectors.
“We go on the ground pick papers around the city, boxes and other recyclable waste cooperating with EMA and the local Government for our assistance. We are a group of youths, and some of our members are school-going.
“We wish to partner with big companies so that we can grow. Right now we have been working with various supermarkets and since it’s rainy season plastics are on demand than cardboard boxes.
Meanwhile, in her presentation BCC corporate communications manager Nesisa Mpofu said the initiative was in line with their vision of being a smart city by 2024.
“Our vision is to be a smart and transformative city by 2024, so when we talk of smartness we also talk about green economy. So, for us as a city this initiative is very much welcome,” she said.
