The Vocational Education and Training Authority (VETA) Dar es Salaam Centre is set to introduce specialised waste recycling training in October, targeting young people and communities with skills to turn waste into employment and income-generating opportunities.
The programme is part of efforts to promote waste sorting, recycling and reuse while equipping people already involved in waste-related activities with technical and occupational health and safety skills.
VETA Dar es Salaam Centre Principal, Abraham Puguni, said the centre had been selected as one of the pilot centres for the programme following discussions with stakeholders on how best to implement the waste management and recycling curriculum.
He said the training would target not only people involved in collecting, sorting and processing waste, but also communities because they are the primary source of waste.
“The largest producers of waste are communities in general. Therefore, this training is not only for those who process, sort or collect waste, but is also important for the communities that produce the waste,” Mr Puguni said.
He said the programme would help communities understand that waste could be converted into useful products and become a source of employment and income rather than being viewed solely as rubbish.
According to Mr Puguni, people already engaged in waste collection and processing would also benefit from the training by learning safer and more effective ways of carrying out their work.
Successful trainees will receive certificates, while street and ward leaders have been asked to help identify residents who could benefit from the programme.
National Environment Management Council (NEMC) Environmental Officer Jackline Wikechi said the initiative could help change public attitudes towards waste and promote a culture of recycling.
She said addressing the country's waste management challenges required cooperation between government institutions, training centres and communities.
“NEMC cannot address the waste challenge alone. We need to work with institutions such as VETA to equip young people with skills to identify and process waste,” Ms Wikechi said.
She urged Tanzanians to view waste management as legitimate work capable of providing sustainable livelihoods.
“Waste can become a permanent source of employment, giving someone dignity and income,” she said.
Ms Wikechi added that the curriculum would teach trainees how different types of waste could be processed into products and other income-generating activities.
At the community level, Keko Ward Health Officer Haji Hatibu Kikwacha welcomed the initiative, saying poor waste management remained a challenge in many neighbourhoods.
He said recycling education could help reduce the volume of waste left unused and pledged that local leaders would support the programme through community meetings.
“We need this recycling initiative to be implemented on time and effectively so that recyclable waste can be put to use and reduce the amount of waste that remains,” Mr Kikwacha said.
Magulumbasi A Street Chairman in Keko Ward, Hamis Nyanza, said the training had changed his perception of waste and pledged to encourage residents to participate.
He said residents had previously regarded waste simply as rubbish, but the training had demonstrated its potential to create jobs and generate income.
The programme is expected to bring together stakeholders from the environmental, health and local government sectors to expand access to recycling skills among young people and residents involved in waste collection, sorting and processing.