Let’s Do It Ghana, an Environmental Non-Governmental-Organisation (NGO), in partnership with Reusable Bags Gh, has trained 10 young people in Accra on how to assemble and sew reusable bags to make some income while protecting the environment.
The participants, comprising nine females and a male, received start-up kits, including sewing machines, irons, scissors and other accessories, valued at Ghc20,000.00, to facilitate their work.
During the five-day training, they were also taught how to set up businesses, maintain good relations with their customers, and sustain and expand their trade.
Mrs Kate Opoku, the Country Lead of Let’s Do It Ghana, said the training formed part of a “Community for Plastic Reduction and Recycling Project” launched by the NGO in July, this year, at Nima and Maamobi, suburbs of Accra. It was funded by Afri-Plastics Challenge.
The project aimed at reducing the littering of plastic waste, discouraging single-use plastics, encouraging reusable alternatives and segregation of plastic wastes for recycling.
Mrs Opoku said her organisation had been sensitising community members, market women and shoppers to switch from using single-use plastics, especially polythene bags, to reusable alternatives.
“We, therefore, trained the participants on how to sew these bags in order to ensure that they are easily available for shoppers to access and use for shopping,” she said.
“Apart from helping to reduce the use of plastic products to prevent plastic pollution, this intervention will also create job opportunities for participants to improve their livelihoods.”
Meanwhile the NGO had also trained about 200 women to make reusable bags using low-cost materials like T-Shirts and clothing.
Mr Bismark Osiakwa, the Founder and Manager, Reusable Bags Gh, lauded ‘Let’s Do It Ghana’ for the initiative, which would contribute to reducing plastic pollution in the country.
He said he was impressed with the commitment and enthusiasm of the participants towards the project and expressed his willingness to engage some of them at his factory to increase production.
Sharifa Mohammed, a participant, on behalf of her colleagues, commended the NGO for the opportunity and promised they would use the knowledge and skills acquired to produce more bags to reduce plastic pollution and generate income.
Let’s Do It Ghana is the organisers of the World Cleanup Day in Ghana. It is an environmental NGO in charge of educating and raising awareness on plastic pollution and patronage of reusable materials instead of plastics to keep the environment clean.
