Zero Waste, More Hope in South Sudan

Sudan Events – Sumaya Sayed 

A small team of experts led by climate and environmental scientist Shazneen Cyrus Gazdar at the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), launched of Zero energy light bulbs and sturdy bricks for schools and homes. Some innovative communities in South Sudan are reusing waste in new ways as the world rallies to ban plastic pollution by the year’s end.

The team is working with local authorities and civil society to find fresh solutions to the young nation’s environmental challenges, one reused plastic bottle at a time. There is no supply issue.

“Every time it rains in Juba, say during a weekend of rain, you can see about 25,000 kg (approx. 55,000 lbs) of plastic waste mixed with silt that flows into the drains, and eventually into the Tomping camp,” says Ms. Gazdar, talking about one of the two UN bases in the capital city of Juba where some of the nearly 18,000 peacekeepers live.

“Finally, the plastic waste makes its way out of all these drains and into the Nile, which is this beautiful, long, pure river which is less and less pristine every day after the rain. So, we’re trying to set up systems where we can capture the waste before it actually reaches the Nile.”