Cyclone Winston left extensive debris in the villages of Dawasamu. In the past six months, village youth have worked hard to clear and pile the debris to remove the health hazard this poses to community members.
With the completion of the GVI initiated waste management program last year, these villages understand the issues surrounding burying and burning waste. It would feel like a step backwards for the communities that have worked so hard to process the majority of their waste through recycling points if they were to do so. The debris has been resourcefully used wherever possible, leaving the communities with piles of complete and separated waste. Clearing the piles is of the utmost importance in regaining the community’s pride in their villages, making a great positive change to the everyday lives of those in the community.
Funds were used to assist the villages in removing the wreckage left in the wake of Cyclone Winston. The manual clearing was completed by the village youth and Silana Community partners and taken to Lami Recycling Collection, preventing it becoming part of landfill, as the majority of cleared debris does.
The community’s desire to do this in line with good waste management processes that GVI have been running in the area is evidence of the degree to which the communities have taken on board community education initiatives and are caring about their environment.
Funds were used to hire lorries over a 4 week period. Each lorry was charged at 400Fijian Dollars
