THE WILDLIFE CENTRE BECOMES A RECYCLING HUB
Recycling, as it is known in the western world, has been challenging in Malawi due to a lack of programmes in place to collect and re-use waste products on a large scale. However, with the help of funding from an educational grant from Melinda Gray Ardia Environmental Foundation, the Wildlife Centre has partnered with International […]
Recycling, as it is known in the western world, has been challenging in Malawi due to a lack of programmes in place to collect and re-use waste products on a large scale. However, with the help of funding from an educational grant from Melinda Gray Ardia Environmental Foundation, the Wildlife Centre has partnered with International Conservation and Clean up Management (ICCM) to create a recycling collection point for Lilongwe.
One of our LWT volunteers, Robert Harraka, joined up with ICCM’s Wilfried Farkhaan Kashama to produce an innovative recycling bin design. A great deal of creativity from the pair resulted in a fantastic practical creation involving the recyclable materials themselves (see photos below).
The finished product means that you can bring your recyclables to the Wildlife Centre any day of the week and then they will be collected on a monthly basis by the ICCM team. We are able to collect tins/cans, paper, glass and plastic bottles and plastic bags for sustainable construction projects. If you live in Lilongwe you can also have your recyclables collected from your own home at a cost of just 4,000mwk per month.
Visiting school groups now have the chance to learn about and witness practical waste management alongside our theoretical modules. On November 5, ICCM held a fundraising and awareness day for kids at the Wildlife Centre. A local scout group and several families enjoyed the activities and learnt how to build their own useful structures from recyclables.
By encouraging students, communities and visitors to use recycling bins and reuse waste where possible, we are taking steps towards behavioural change. If we all make the effort to reduce, reuse and recycle our waste, then we will be looking at a much cleaner and greener Malawi in the future.
So, spread the word about our recycling point! And if you’re already recycling but want to support our goal of responsible waste management further, you can find a donation box at the Wildlife Centre reception where you can contribute towards ICCM’s work. The box is creatively built from recycled materials, of course!
