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International Partnerships

Women tackling The Gambia’s waste problem

“The Greater Banjul Area is a coastal environment, so you get problems with toxins leaking from the dumpsite into the water table and the sea,” says Ingrid Henrys, WasteAid Project Coordinator in The Gambia. “In the past they also burned trash there and that caused smoke and pollution problems for local people, as well as the flies from organic waste. Now burning has been banned and a fence has been built around the dumpsite to stop rubbish blowing away, but the problem remains of how to reduce the amount of organic waste being dumped there.”

Teaching gardeners to turn waste into compost

As a first step, the women gardeners who grow fruit and vegetables to sell in the markets are being taught how to turn organic waste into compost.

“It’s very important to get the women involved, because it’s mostly women who do the small-scale fruit and vegetable growing in the city,” explains Ingrid. “We’re starting with 30 women farmers from two gardens, and the women themselves will choose who takes part in the pilot. After they are trained, they will be able to pass their skills and knowledge onto the others.”

Turning organic waste into compost will enable the women gardeners to reduce their reliance on chemical fertilisers. “When we talked to them, we realised they were spending a serious amount of money on chemicals, but their productivity was going down each year,” says Lamin S. Sanyang, Director of Services at KMC. “If they switch to organic compost, it will not only save them money, but it will also be better for soil fertility.”

Ingrid points to another benefit: “We also need to protect the women’s health. Often, they use these chemical fertilisers without any protective equipment, and they have no control over what it is or how much they use.”

We’re starting with 30 women farmers from two gardens, and the women themselves will choose who takes part in the pilot. After they are trained, they will be able to pass their skills and knowledge onto the others.

Ingrid Henrys

Lack of proper waste collection system

The Gambia’s waste problem goes back decades. “One of the biggest issues was the lack of vehicles to collect waste,” says Lamin. “There was no proper waste collection, so people just used to dump it in the street and in the rivers, which in turn caused disease and pollution. Some communities resorted to burning the rubbish, which also affected their health. During the rainy season there were flash floods because the drains were blocked up with trash. So, we decided to take action and devised the Mbalit Project – Mbalit is the local name for waste,” Lamin explains.

With this project, our production will increase, and our lives will be improved. We can now get a good price for our vegetables and continue paying our children’s school fees, as well as paying medical bills.

Fatou Ceesa*

“Wow, this is indeed a great achievement,” says Fatou Ceesa*. “We have been working this garden for many decades, but our production levels have remained the same. But with this project, our production will increase, and our lives will be improved. We can now get a good price for our vegetables and continue paying our children’s school fees, as well as paying medical bills,” she continues.

“I have a passion for environmental and biodiversity protection, and I am always trying new composting techniques at home,” laughs Ingrid. “I also really love to empower women – so this project really brings it all together!”

 

*Not her real name, for reasons of confidentiality.

 

About the project

WasteAid, a UK-based NGO, in partnership with Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) and Women’s Initiative The Gambia are piloting an innovative approach to divert waste into productive materials. The project has received €100,000 from the EU Global Climate Change Alliance (GCCA+).