GIZ trains youths, women in plastic waste recycling business

As part of efforts to address the high rate of unemployment in Lagos state, the Pro-Poor Growth and Promotion of Employment (SEDIN) programme of the German Development Agency (GIZ) is creating awareness on the opportunities in was recycling for youths and women in Ikorodu Local Government Area of the state.

“We are here to highlight the opportunities in waste recycling for interested participants in Ikorodu local government,” said Toyin Craig, Adeniran, led advisor, GIZ SEDIN

Adeniran said GIZ has partnered with three local government areas – Ikorodu, Alimosho and Eti-Osa of the state to help those interested youths and women in plastic waste recycling leverage opportunities in the industry.

“There are lots of potentials in the recycling business, GIZ is here to enlighten and apply awareness for people to participate,” she said.

“The training will provide exposure and enlightenment that the plastic people are throwing away is money. In the value chain we are working with hubs for employment,” she added.

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She noted that the goal of the training is to help reduce the high unemployment rate in the country by creating jobs for the unemployed, noting that the training will help them understand the recycling business, the input and the output demand.

Also speaking, Peter Ayobami, technical director for Al – Afrik Trade Consultants, a facilitator said participants were trained on the Business Entry Guide developed by GIZ in partnership with Fate Foundation and LSETF.

“We trained them on the step-by-step process of setting up a plastic waste recycling business. After that, they will be talking to partners like hubs and waste pickers who we teach the practical technique of the business,” he said.

“We would link them with our financial partners across the value chain for funding,” he added.

Sharing her success story with the participants, Maltida TAIWO, managing director of Maltida Hub said her passion for the environment prompted her into the business of waste recycling.

“My support is that I have been able to build a hub where these youths and women can come and practice, produce their products and be empowered,” she said.

She noted that the industry needs the support of the government, especially in the area of infrastructure. “We need the support of the government to provide power and buy us equipment for recycling, especially the local fabricated, in case the machine has a problem our engineer here can repair and manage them.”