We will be providing structured support through targeted workshops to empower these communities - Deo

Recently the Pacific Recycling Foundation just completed 3 weeks of their Mapping Exercise of the Waste Collection Sector in Fiji, with PRF Founder Amitesh Deo saying the information gathered will enable them to assist and empower these communities in various ways.

Deo stated this after fijivillage News questioned the Foundation what they will use the information for.

He says these programs include providing structured support such as the arrangement of targeted workshops to empower these communities.

He further says PRF will work on an implementation work plan for these workshops and will work with other expert partners such as the Fiji Cancer Society, Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre, and financial institutes in areas of health, human rights, legal literacy, and financial literacy.

The founder says they will work with development partners and donor agencies to have support available for these groups for the provision of Personal Protective Equipment, support after a natural disaster, and support during unforeseen circumstances whereby these communities are restricted from waste picking and do not have any other forms of income (this is in particular for women waste pickers who are looking after their children and families through waste picking).

He further says they will assist with referrals to other partners in their respective areas of work to assist the Community Pillars of Recycling community with the challenges they face or support they need.

Deo says they will ensure that when other initiatives are developed and implemented, it does not have a negative impact on these marginalized communities and this is especially worrying as they hear that there are a lot of concepts developed that directly will impact these groups who are never consulted on the process.

He adds through the sharing of the case studies, PRF will explore other areas of social issues that these communities face such as elderly abuse, bullying, stigma, limited access to health care, limited access to legal rights, and so forth.