TakaNiAjira Foundation

Happy 63rd Independence Day, Tanzania Today we celebrate the journey of unity, resilience, and progress. Let's continue building a sustainable future together. 🌍 #IndependenceDay #Tanzania #Sustainability #TakaNiAjira

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Every day, waste pickers work tirelessly to transform discarded materials into value. This moment captures one of those efforts a waste picker weighing his collected cardboard, a reflection of hard work and resilience. At TakaNiAjira Foundation, we stand with waste pickers, amplifying their voices and ensuring they get the recognition they deserve. Their role in protecting the environment and driving the circular economy is nothing short of inspiring. It reminds us that what many see as “waste” is, in fact, an opportunity for income, sustainability, and change. Let’s continue to support the people behind this vital work. #SupportWastePickers #CircularEconomy #SustainabilityInAction #TakaNiAjira ISWA International Solid Waste Association WIEGO - Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing GAIA (Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives) Alliance to End Plastic Waste Plastic Pollution Coalition Africa Circular Economy Research and Policy Network (ACERPiN) Kabir (Qabeer) Arora (Jalandhari) Zablon Wanyama Wekesa Sonia Dias International Alliance of Waste Pickers TakaNiAjira Foundation Uganda TakaNiAjira Foundation Kenya Ntabazi Raymond James Gloria Chebet

🌍 The Waste Crisis is Growing -But So Is Our Opportunity to Act♻️ Imagine a world without waste pickers. The streets would overflow with waste, recycling rates would plummet, and our shared vision of a sustainable future would slip further from reach. Waste pickers are the invisible backbone of recycling systems dedicated individuals who sort, recover, and recycle materials that would otherwise end up in landfills or polluting our environment. Yet, too often, their efforts go unnoticed, their voices unheard. At TakaNiAjira Foundation, we believe in turning this around. Our message is simple: To tackle the waste crisis, we must adopt an inclusive approach that recognizes, values and empowers, and builds upon the incredible work of waste pickers rather than excluding them. 🔑 Here’s why inclusion matters: 💡 Without waste pickers, recycling systems grind to a halt. 💡 Recognizing their contributions unlocks untapped potential for innovation and efficiency. 💡 Empowering them creates stronger communities, economic opportunities, and a healthier planet. Let’s move forward with solutions that bring everyone to the table, especially those who’ve been holding it together for years. 💬 What can we do to better support waste pickers in our communities? Drop your thoughts below and let’s build a movement that turns challenges into opportunities. #TakaNiAjira #WasteToValue #WastePickers #WasteManagement #CircularEconomy ISWA International Solid Waste Association WIEGO - Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing Alliance to End Plastic Waste GAIA (Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives) Rita Idehai Eng. Allen M Kimambo TakaNiAjira Foundation Uganda TakaNiAjira Foundation Kenya Gloria Chebet Ntabazi Raymond James Sonia Dias Kabir (Qabeer) Arora (Jalandhari) Zoë Lenkiewicz DESMOND Alugnoa Betty Osei Bonsu Break Free From Plastic Plastic Pollution Coalition Waste Pickers Association of Nigeria (WAPAN) Dandora Green Recyclers Green Africa Youth Organization (GAYO)

The extent of waste in our neighbourhoods serves as a clear indication of the immediate necessity for change. Each accumulation signifies a loss of value and an escalating environmental issue. TakaNiAjira Foundation is committed to raising awareness and involving community members in promoting a more inclusive approach to waste management, where everyone, including households and waste pickers, contributes to reducing, reusing, and recycling. The path toward sustainable waste management demands awareness and collaborative effort. By engaging local communities, empowering waste pickers, and advocating for inclusive practices, we seek to turn waste from a liability into a source of positive transformation. #CommunityEngagement #WasteManagement #Sustainability #TakaNiAjira #InclusiveApproach #WasteAwareness ISWA International Solid Waste Association GAIA (Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives) Break Free From Plastic Alliance to End Plastic Waste Plastic Pollution Coalition Circular South Africa (CSA) Piotr Barczak Rita Idehai Waste Pickers Association of Nigeria (WAPAN) Ntabazi Raymond James Gloria Chebet Mary Benda Kabir (Qabeer) Arora (Jalandhari) International Alliance of Waste Pickers Green Africa Youth Organization (GAYO) DESMOND Alugnoa Betty Osei Bonsu

Waste pickers hold an essential yet frequently disregarded role in promoting environmental sustainability, minimizing waste, preserving resources, and combating climate change. Despite their significant efforts, their contributions are often undervalued due to their marginalization and exclusion from the formal economy. TakaNiAjira Foundation, is striving to shift this perspective by empowering waste pickers through community-based organizations (CBOs). In Tanzania, we are supporting the establishment of CBOs to bring waste pickers together, allowing them to advocate for improved working conditions, gain access to financial resources, and enhance their social status. As we work towards a more sustainable future, it's crucial to acknowledge waste pickers as vital participants in the circular economy. Join us in backing these committed individuals and their journey toward empowerment. 📖 Read the complete article: 👇 ISWA International Solid Waste Association TakaNiAjira Foundation Kenya TakaNiAjira Foundation Uganda WIEGO - Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing GAIA (Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives) Africa Circular Economy Network (ACEN) Nigeria Chapter International Alliance of Waste Pickers Waste Pickers Association of Nigeria (WAPAN) Nakuru county Waste pickers association Plastic Pollution Coalition Break Free From Plastic Green Africa Youth Organization (GAYO) Betty Osei Bonsu Rita Idehai Sonia Dias Zoë Lenkiewicz Gloria Chebet Mary Benda Piotr Barczak Kabir (Qabeer) Arora (Jalandhari) Kenya national waste pickers

🌍 Want to turn your organization’s waste into a force for positive change? Through TakaNiAjira Foundation’s #Reward4Recycling(R4R) initiative, every recycled item from plastic bottles to paper helps create a zero-waste future while supporting decent local jobs. Using #ZaidiApp, organisations can track their environmental footprint in real time, transforming waste into valuable resources and fostering sustainable change. Take responsibility for your waste, earn meaningful rewards like airtime, health insurance and eco-friendly products, and see how small actions lead to major impact. By partnering with #R4R, your business becomes part of a network committed to raising recycling awareness and building a sustainable future. We celebrate participants’ efforts every month with #RewardDay, highlighting the positive contributions made through smart, impactful waste management. Make recycling count. Connect with us today at info@takaniajira.org to join the movement. #Reward4Recycling #Sustainability #ImpactfulRecycling

The rights of vulnerable and marginalised stakeholders need to be centred for a 'just transition' to a circular economy. PROs have been collecting fees for years but waste pickers are still not being paid.

🌍 What if managing waste started with one simple step we could all take? This image reminds us of what happens when waste is left unsorted, piling up and polluting our environment. TakaNiAjira Foundation strongly advocates for proper waste management practices, such as segregation at source-act of sorting waste right where it’s generated. Why is segregation at source so important? Eases Recycling: When materials like plastic, glass, and organic waste are separated, they’re ready for recycling, making the process more efficient and less labor-intensive for waste pickers. Increases Material Value: Sorted materials are of higher quality and have a greater market value, benefiting waste pickers and supporting local economies. Reduces Pollution: By keeping recyclable and organic materials out of landfills, we prevent environmental contamination, protect natural resources, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. By making source segregation a habit, we can turn scenes like this into stories of transformation and sustainability. Together, let’s ensure that waste is not just thrown away, but handled with responsibility and respect for our planet. 🌍 #SegregationAtSource #WasteToResource #CircularEconomy

Someone asked me regarding the infrastructure for SWM in Zanzibar. The video below shows a SWM collection point in Paje that was built by one of the hotels around the area to take care of the waste from the villagers. However, as you can clearly see from the composition of the waste, most of the waste is now coming from tourism businesses. This coupled with irregular collection of the waste, is now causing more problems to the villagers than what it was supposed to solve. It is important to note that Zanzibar has only one official landfill called Kibele which was built with World Bank financing in 2020. The 425,000m3 landfill has a capacity of 189 tons per day but since May 2021, it has been receiving about 320tons of waste per day which is almost double its capacity. This means the expected life span of 10 years that was estimated during the construction will also be significantly reduced. This will leave Zanzibar with more issues than we expect. The World Bank and the government of Zanzibar are now working on the Building Inclusive Growth for Zanzibar (BIG-Z) project that aims to improve the infrastructure for SWM by building collection points and transfer sites in both Unguja and Pemba and also procurement of trucks for waste collection. This will improve the capacities of the municipalities to a certain level. The support is expected to lessen the burden on waste collection and increase access to the SWM infrastructure to the local populace and businesses