WAKISO, Uganda, March 31 (Xinhua) -- Lake Victoria is Africa's largest fresh water body, but experts are warning that pollution, degradation are threatening its existence and the livelihood of millions of people who depend on the lake that is shared by Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.
A group of women in the central Ugandan district of Wakiso are determined to change the story by not only turning lakeshore garbage into briquettes to protect the environment but also earn a living.
Prossy Nakibuule is a member of the Nkumba Bukolwa Group, a group of women who clean the shores of the lake at Kavundira land site in Entebbe, Wakiso district, and turn the waste into briquettes.
Nakibuule told Xinhua that the narrative has always been that landing sites are smelly, dirty and prone to disease outbreak all the time.
"But the narrative has now changed. We are able to turn garbage into something useful and profitable," Nakibuule said.
"Just walk around this place (Kavundira) and you will hardly find any garbage piled anywhere. People have woken up to the reality that nothing is useless on this landing site," she added.
Nakibuule said they have been taught to appreciate a clean environment for the safety of their children and the future of the lake and fish, which are the source of their livelihood.
Nakibuule and other women are beneficiaries of efforts by a local organization SOS Children's Villages, which aims at empowering mostly single mothers to take care of their children.
Nakibuule's chest thumping is supported by Angela Misanya, a single mother of three, who can now count her benefits from the waste off the finger tips.
"I have saved for one year in two savings groups and I have been able to buy a plot of land. I'm a single mother but I have managed to pay (school) fees for my children," Misanya said.
She said she has also been able to feed her family and take care of its health needs.
"We no longer litter garbage everywhere. We have found that there is hidden treasure in waste. I appeal to fellow women to learn how to turn this garbage into briquettes and they will save on the money spent on buying charcoal and firewood," she said.
Teddy Namulindwa, a mother of 10 children at the Bukasa Landing Site, said she used to sleep in markets waiting for customers to buy her vegetables. But this is long gone.
"My children used to sleep in the house alone. Thank God I now have the skills to work from home and take care of my 10 children," Namulindwa said, "there is a secret in garbage, which can only be discovered if one is ready to get dirty."
Ronald Kalema, the Mayor of Katabi Town Council, applauded the women for being at the forefront of fighting environmental degradation and using the opportunity to make money.
"We would like to thank the women who are the drivers of this nation for embracing this project that was started by SOS Children's Villages," Kalema said.
"This has reduced the garbage in our town council. They have discovered that from garbage we can earn a living through adding value to what is considered waste. This is very important for both the environment and homesteads," he added.
Beatrice Akello, the Family Strengthening Program Coordinator at SOS Children's Villages, said they were targeting to empower 240 families mainly headed by women to be able to set up various income generating activities that are also beneficial to the environment.
"We train them to collect the waste, dry it, burn it and sell to other customers. We have also supported the women with machines to make briquettes on large scale for commercial purposes. So far they are doing well and we hope to expand the project to other landing sites in the country," Akello said. ■