The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | Khisa Isaac | Coca Cola Company’s philanthropic arm, Coca-Cola Foundation, in partnership with Care and Assistance for Forced Migrants (CAFOMI) is extending support to 833 plastic waste collectors countywide with Shs110million worth of relief items to cushion them of financial burden amidst the coronavirus pandemic.
The company, which temporarily closed its plastic recycling plant in Kampala, in response to the government’s instituted measures such as travel restrictions and lockdowns to contain the spread of the virus, recently resumed operations and it is therefore in need of raw materials –plastic waste.
Coca Cola has 8,000 plastic waste collectors dotted across the country. Of these, more than 4,400 are women. However, all the plastic waste collectors are low income earners whose main source of livelihood prior to COVID-19 pandemic only improved when they focused on the sale of plastic waste to the company.
Coca Cola recycles more than 5,500 tons of waste plastics annually as it strives to keep the environment clean.
Speaking during the handover ceremony held at St. Pauls Church of Uganda in Mbuya on Feb.24, Arthur Akankwasa, Senior Franchise Manager at Coca-Cola overseeing Uganda said the company has a dream to collect all plastics and cans that it produces by 2030.
“We are working with communities, partners and other companies to support plastic collection and taking them to our recycling plant for processing,” he said. ‘We can have the best technology but without, the plastic waste collectors, our efforts would be futile.”
Studies shows that Kampala generates more than 350,000 tons of solid waste every year, and only half of it is collected leaving plastic clogging drains and wetlands
George Francis Iwa, the Executive Director at CAFOMI said they appreciate Coca-Cola for the initiative to support those who are collecting plastics and keeping the environment clean.
“The plastic waste collectors play a vital role in our communities today and we hope that others, especially in the private sector, will emulate Coca-Cola especially during this difficult time of COVID-19,” he said.
These plastic waste collectors are our environmental heroes, so we commit to continue supporting them.”
Coca-Cola has also signed various partnerships with government, private sector and community organizations to address this issue over the years.
Last year, the company joined hands with Tooro Kingdom, in a campaign dubbed ‘Save River Mpanga’ to conserve and promote proper waste management in Western Uganda. River Mpanga is a source of livelihood for many and is connected to River Rwizi which supplies water to the Coca-Cola manufacturing plant based in Mbarara.
The company also recently signed a partnership with Stanbic Bank, Nice House of Plastics and Kampala Capital City Authority to encourage, promote and support proper waste management countrywide.
