Better & healthier environment through eco-friendly practices in 2 villages in South Lebanon, through building capacity of women as peer educators to raise awareness of the residents.
The waste problem in Lebanon has become one of the most challenging threat facing citizens in various regions and governorates. However, in the South Lebanon, this problem is amplified due to its various health, wellbeing, and environmental menaces, which will only worsen if proper solutions for this crisis are not found.
The Federation of Municipalities in Tyre had built two landfills in Ras El Ain and Ain Baal, both of which had failed either for the location’s cultural significance and health implications, or because sorting wasn’t properly implemented in the first place.
The project was funded by the Canadian Fund for Local Initiative at the Canadian Embassy and implemented in the period August 2019- March 2020.
The implemented project addressed the garbage issue affecting the entire region, working closely with the municipalities of Jennata and Toura, on improving the villagers’ garbage disposal practices, and implementing a pilot project that can be duplicated in nearby villages. Starting with sorting from the source, through capacity building of women villagers and providing municipalities with sorting bins for proper garbage disposal, the collected waste will be later sent to a plant for treatment and management.
This project aimed to improve environmental and health condition in Jennata & Toura, through inciting their citizens to adopt better waste disposal habits.
Twenty five persons (19 women & 6 men) were selected from Jennata & Toura to participate in a training course to become peer educators and be able to implement outreach activities in their villages & to encourage the women in their villages to do sorting at home.
A training course was implemented as well targeting the municipality workers (garbage collectors) to train them on composting and how to sort the garbage collected.
Ten composting bins were purchased and locations identified by the municipalities were identified for the bins to be placed. 92 sorting bins were purchased as well to be placed around the villages for garbage disposal.
The peer educators implemented the outreach sessions and provided the beneficiaries with information and leaflets that encourage them to adopt sorting from source.
Although this project had a short duration, but it impacted at least one village to adopt better practices to save their environment and empowered the women to become more involved in their village decision making processes.
The project can also be duplicated in other villages as well…
