JOBS AND TOURISM GET BOOST FROM PLASTIC RECYCLING INITIATIVE IN ZANZIBAR
A new initiative between Chako, a social enterprise from Zanzibar and the TUI Care Foundation is providing training and income opportunities for up to 50 young unemployed or disadvantaged people at a newly developed plastic up-cycling station.
The three-year long project, which kicked off last November, will see the development of a recycling station in Zanzibar in parallel to a programme of collecting plastic waste on the island. 750 local students will also receive an environmental education.
Participating youth and local artisans will be working to create products made of recycled plastic which in turn will support the island’s communities. Guided tours but also a cafe and a shop will also turn the station into a destination for visitors. The Foundation has a target of 550,000 kilos of collected plastic per year – almost 20% of Zanzibar’s plastic waste .
A cleaner Zanzibar will not only help to protect this beautiful archipelago in the Indian Ocean, but also open economic opportunities in a region which suffers greatly from the coronavirus pandemic. Zanzibar used to receive around 400,000 visitors a year. Covid-19 has decimated this important source of revenues and employment. To help local communities thrive, the initiative will generate employment opportunities for tour guides, drivers, designers, waste collection groups and handymen.
