Engaging Youth in maintaining Green Environment and Waste Management, experience from Kampala District, Uganda
Published: 17 October 2017
Two organizations, which are members of the Uganda National Discourse Forum (UNDF), have joined the Ndejje University in the campaign for School Based Awareness on Environment & Solid Waste Management among Children & Youth in Kampala District, Uganda. The campaign is called “Green Youths Initiative (GYI)”. The overall goal of the project is to promote youth’s engagement in maintaining green environment and waste management in Kampala District.
Uganda National Discourse (UNDF) members namely: the Center for Participatory Research and Development (CEPARD), and Uganda Environmental Education Foundation (UEEF) joined Training, Education, Empowerment for Neighborhood Sustainability (TEENS) and Ndejje University, the project leader to conduct the campaign.
The campaign is driven by the fact that transformation of Uganda to a middle income status by 2020 calls for maintenance of green and clean environment and maintenance of healthy ecosystem. The campaign has focused on the solutions that include proper and innovative Waste handling, Waste recycling and reuse, Greening initiatives, etc.
The Office of the Auditor general reported in 2010 that 1500 tonnes of solid waste collected daily in Kampala and delivered to landfills represent only 50 % of the total waste generated in the city (OAG, 2010) while the other 50% is dumped in unauthorized sites and occasionally carried by storm water into natural water reservoirs.