News
Reducing plastic waste and creating employment in Kampala...
On 23rd June 2010, Living Earth Uganda launched a new Plastic Waste project in Kampala. The project 'Improved Environmental Conditions in Informal Urban Settlements through plastic waste collection and recycling in Uganda' is the result of a public-private partnership between Unilever, Living Earth Uganda and DED.
The project aims at improving sanitation services by reducing waste plastic and creating job
opportunities for the urban poor.
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Dumped plastic waste blocks a drainage channel
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Find out more about the project here...
Baseline survey for Urban 'Waste to Wealth' project published...
The Waste to Wealth project aims to build the capacity of local entrepreneurs and micro-enterprises to work in partnership with local authorities to manage household waste and to profit from recycling, re-use and processing.
The baseline survey identified a number of challenges relating to solid waste management in Kampala including the limited resources of local government and and the high costs of waste collection and management; inconsistent collection of solid waste by the authorities resulting in dumping of garbage by the road side; and limited funds of communities to pay waste management fees.
“How do you expect us to pay for garbage collection when we at times go without food?” (Community member, Kawempe Division)
Read the full baseline survey here...
Find out more about the project here...
Promoting the use of briquettes and energy saving stoves in Uganda...
Living Earth Uganda has been promoting alternative sources of energy to tree cutting for firewood and charcoal through specialized skills training in briquette and energy saving stoves’ making and use.
In May 2010, 102 residents from the community of Nansana town council (Kampala) approached Living Earth Uganda for this specialized skills training. 23 participants took part in a training session focusing on teaching skills in briquette and energy stoves making and use in the local community.
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Community members learning how to make briquettes
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Read a full report of the training here...
Biomass Briquettes company wins an International Ashden Award...
Kampala Jellitone Suppliers, a biomass briquette company which makes fuel briquettes from agricultural waste, has won the Ashden International Award for Avoided Deforestation. This small business was supported by Living Earth Uganda through its Urban Livelihoods Project which provided capacity building training in business management and encouraged the development of public-private partnerships within the framework of urban service delivery.
Read a press release about the award here.
Find out more about Kampala Jellitone Suppliers here.
Find out more about the Urban Livelihoods Programme here.
Living Earth Uganda facilitates the recycling 3.5 tons of plastic waste in Kampala district...
Through Living Earth Uganda's ongoing Enhancing Plastic Waste Collection programme, 3.5 tons (3534 kgs) of plastic waste have been collected and delivered to Plastic Recycling Industries for recycling. A number of collection centres have been set up throughout Kampala district and over 1900 people have participated in workshops designed to raise awarenss about the impacts of waste and the benefits and potential that recycling holds.
Find out more about this programme here.
Biomass Briquettes company shortlisted for International Ashden Awards...
Kampala Jellitone Suppliers, a biomass briquette company which makes fuel briquettes from agricultural waste, has been shortlisted for the 2009 Ashden Awards. This small business was supported by Living Earth Uganda through its Urban Livelihoods Project which provided capacity building training in business management and encouraged the development of public-private partnerships within the framework of urban service delivery.
Read a brochure about the Jellitone briquettes here.
Find out more about the Urban Livelihoods Programme here.
Living Earth Uganda celebrates official launch of Plastic Waste programme...
On 12th January 2009, Living Earth Uganda marked the official launch of its new programme: Enhancing Plastic Waste Collection in Kampala District, working in partnership with Plastics Recycling Industries Uganda Ltd and DED (German Development Services). The programme aims to encourage public-private partnerships in the waste management sector, as well as raising community awareness about the potential economic and environmental benefits gained through recycling and reducing waste.
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Swithern Tumwine of LEU facilitates workshop
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Find out more about the programme here.
Living Earth Uganda publishes baseline survey on Plastic Waste Collection in Kampala District...
In December 2008 Living Earth Uganda published its report on a baseline survey focusing on Plastic Waste Collection in Kampala District. The survey assessed current plastic waste management practices in Kampala and also gave a voice to community members and leaders who expressed the primary challenges facing the sector and possible solutions. The result of the survey will be used to inform LEU's implementation of its Enhancing Plastic Waste Collection programme. |
The survey showed a poor level of plastic waste management
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Read a copy of the baseline survey report here.
Living Earth Uganda publishes report on CSR in Uganda...
In December 2008, Living Earth Uganda in partnership with Uganda Chapter for Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives (UCCSRI), together with German Development Service (DED), Makerere University Business School (MUBS), Uganda Manufacturers Association (UMA) and Institute of Corporate Governance of Uganda (ICGU), published the results of its recent research into the state of Corporate Social Responsibility in Uganda. The report addresses current attitudes towards CSR amongst the private sector and government, as well as highlighting the key challenges facing the sector.
Read the full report here.
On 21st and 22nd April 2008, Living Earth Uganda organised a National Conference on Urban Environment with the theme of "Enabling Urban Poor to realize their potential though partnerships". A cross section of local community groups and businesses, civil society organisations and private sector companies were invited to attend and to share their experiences of Living Earth's Urban Livelihoods Project.
Find out more about the conference here.
Watch films about Living Earth Uganda's Urban Livelihoods Project...
Two film students have recorded and produced five short films for Living Earth; the films give an insight into Living Earth Uganda's Urban Livelihoods Project and some of the initiatives that are supported by this project.
Watch the films here...
With special thanks to Dominick Reuter and Leah Garvin for producing the films.
Read Living Earth Uganda's Quarterly (July - Sept 2007) Newsletter here....
BBC Sport visits Living Earth Uganda projects
On 3rd July 2007, Living Earth Uganda hosted a team from Comic Relief (UK) and presenters and producers from BBC Sports, including ex-footballer Les Ferdinand. They came to visit the Comic Relief-funded Urban Livelihoods Project (ULP). |
©Living Earth Foundation
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©Living Earth Foundation
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The visit was in preparation for Sports Relief, which is one of Comic Relief's major fundraising efforts. The group visited three of Living Earth’s local project partners: Gayaza Joint Association (GAJOA); Nansana Twezimbe Group (NTG) and Saving Energy Saving Stove Africa (SESSA) in Lweza. |
At the GAJOA site the visitors viewed examples of “backyard gardening” including mushroom growing and vertical kitchen gardens – vegetables grown in sacks or metal drums in confined spaces between closely-packed house. They also saw organic natural juice, honey and crafts, made by local GAJOA members, which GAJOA then sells. Another two community groups, Akutwala Ekiro and Bukesa Urban Farmers’ Association were invited by their counterparts of GAJOA to exhibit their products. |
©Living Earth Foundation
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The group then visited a community-managed solid waste collection service operating in Nansana Town Market. The Nabugabo Investments Ltd was set up and trained through the Urban Livelihoods Project, and now has a formal contract with Nansana Town Council to manage and recycle the waste from the Nansana Town Market. Similar small businesses have been given support, advice and business skills training through the ULP, and they too have formal contacts with local councils in the region.
Finally the team visited Saving Energy Saving Stove Africa (SESSA) where they saw cooking briquettes made from vegetable waste and energy saving stoves being made. The briquettes are an ingenious solution to the huge demand for firewood in a city like Kampala, using, as its base ingredient, dried plantain peelings recycled from household waste. |
©Living Earth Foundation
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The stoves and energy efficient ovens are made from scrap metals, vermiculite and pumice, and are sold to institutions and households in Uganda and elsewhere.
Find out more about the Urban Livelihoods Project here
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LEU helps to develop Plastics Recycling Project
Living Earth Uganda in partnership with Rwenzori Beverage Company and other associated companies have been planning the implementation of plastics recycling projects in Kampala.
This project will mainly be a Consumer Education Programme. Living Earth Uganda has already begun collecting plastics from the communities implementing the Urban Livelihoods Project (ULP).
Woven Polypropylene bags have been distributed by the ULP Team for the community groups to collect the plastic waste which will be retrieved by the Recycling Company. Other collection bags have also been distributed to institutions and clients to collect plastics for the recycling. |
LEU Organises Solid Waste Management Forum
As part of the Urban Livelihoods Project, Living Earth Uganda (LEU) organized a Solid Waste Management (SWM) forum in Kampala in April 2006, to bring together all the stakeholders involved in SWM in Kampala, including fifteen companies and enterprises as well as officials from the Ministry of Local Government, Municipal and Town Councils where LEU operates, and Environment Statutory bodies.
The Forum was organized by Living Earth Uganda (LEU) to highlight the problems associated with SWM and collection in Kampala.
There are over thirty companies in Kampala alone dealing in SWM. The challenges they face include unclear tendering and contracting procedures, unfair competition due to corruption in Local Government, and failure to pay for SWM services particularly in the poorer sections of the city. This has led to segmentation of the market focusing on areas where the residents can afford the user fees. This means that areas where the majority of the population lives are also the ones which are not serviced.
After enlightening presentations and discussions, the SWM Forum ended by resolving to reactivate the Uganda Solid Waste Management Association which was formed back in 2000 but never took off. It was agreed that through this association issues of common concern for stakeholders and companies involved in SWM will be addressed and a common forum used to raise issues which need the attention of both local and central governments.
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LEU participates in Gatsby Exhibition
Living Earth Uganda participated in the second Technology Exhibition organized by Uganda Gatsby Trust (UGT) from July 19th to July 25th 2006.
UGT operates under the Faculty of Technology, Makerere University. It is mandated to develop the technological base of the small and medium enterprise sector in Uganda, enabling the growth of such enterprises. This year’s theme was “Technology Development in SMEs, the future for Uganda’s Industrial base in the next Ten years".
Three Micro enterprises supported by LEU took part in the exhibition which attracted over two hundred exhibitors from within Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.
KICA OBANGA which deals in recycling metal scrap into saucepans was able to make better sales than ever before and the group has been able to expand its market from Lira and other parts of the northern region to Kampala.
Found out more about this project here |
Award Winning NGO
In 2001 Living Earth Uganda (LEU) celebrated winning the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) Gold Award for 'Best NGO' for their work in mobilisation activities towards establishing partnerships between local Community Based Organisation’s (CBO’s), businesses and government, to develop initiatives and best practice in environmental management.
LEU has also received NEMA certificates in 2001, 2002 and 2004 in recognition of their work and their active participation in the annual World Environment Day.
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