Monrovia – Green City has certificated 100 urban youth from 10 slum communities in Montserrado County in waste management and recycling.
The project, which was launched in the Buzzi Quarter Community in Monrovia, is aimed at creating a clean and healthy environment and at the same time help to providing jobs opportunities for urban youth.
Speaking at the program marking the certification and turning over of the project materials to the beneficiaries over the weekend, the Executive Director of Green City, Mr. James K. Mulbah, said according to a research done; most of the wastes in streets are “inorganic wastes,” something he said could be recycled to generate income for families.
The Executive Director of Green City further said that the beneficiaries were trained in circle social counseling and also conflict resolution, in addition to waste management.
With this initiative, Mulbah said they (Green City) will buy the wastes, mainly plastic materials, from the beneficiaries and in return turn those wastes into something valuable.
“Plastic will be more attended to; especially in the urban areas,” the Executive Director of Green City disclosed.
Mulbah added: “We will give 25 Liberian Dollar for a kilogram of plastic.”
Also speaking, Alonso Torres, an Environmental Engineer of UNMIL Environmental Unit, termed the project as a unique one.
Torres said: “This project is going to make a significant milestone in this country and also it’s going to make the city green and clean.”
He added that the project is a joint effort that needs the communities’ commitment, which he said will yield a good outcome from the project.
“Community engagement is important for the success of the project. Keep the city clean for your children,” Torres added.
The UNMIL Environmental Engineer also urged the people in the country to stop seeing wastes as non-valuable things adding that it will give them income to take care of their families.
Also speaking, the chairman of Doe Community, El Abubakas Turay, said the project has given resident of his community the opportunity to generate income.
“From this other people will get something for themselves,” Turay added.
Adolphus Kiazulu, one of the beneficiaries from the project, thanked Green City for the initiative, which is helping to generate income and to make Monrovia clean.