WELTHUNGERHILFE AND MINISTRY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT LAUNCH “PLASTIC FOR FOOD ITEMS CAMPAIGN” IN PORT LOKO CITY

Welthungerhilfe (WHH) in partnership with the Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs launched a 3-day Plastic for Food Items Campaign in Port Loko City on Thursday 10^th July 2025. The Food for Plastic Initiative is an awareness raising strategy designed by WHH to educate people about the benefits of proper waste management and the benefits of recycling waste transforming it to Wealth. In return for plastic waste, residents of Port Loko City who participated in the program received Rice, Oil, Onions and cubes of Maggie in exchange for the weight of their plastic waste’s commensurate weight in kilos.

In her opening remarks, the chairperson of the occasion Juliet Amara Koroma who also doubles as the Chief Administrator of the Port Loko City Council lauded WHH for such a timely and crucial initiative to address plastic waste and pollution in the city. She disclosed that the Port Loko City Council is positive that their partnership with WHH will lead to a cleaner city citing confidently the impact WHH’s Waste Management Project has had in other cities.

Representing the Country Director WHH, Santigie Kanu, Area Manager WHH-South East informed that WHH has supported the government and people of Sierra Leone in diverse ways through many projects for almost two decades now. He noted that WHH is the leading INGO in Waste Management in Sierra Leone and highlighted the project was implemented in Bo, Kenema, Makeni and Koidu City in partnership with the local councils. He said, the Food for Plastic is an awareness campaign that WHH uses to enter a new city and announce the presence of the project in that city. “On behalf of the country director and the entire WHH team, I want to emphasize to the minister, the mayor and the people of Port Loko that WHH is committed to working with them as partners in development” he ended

With high enthusiasm, Alie Badara Tarawallie, Mayor of Port Loko City Council, expressed gratitude first to the Minister and Deputy Minister of Local Government for attending the event and to WHH for answering his call for partnership especially in Waste Management in Port Loko City. Mayor Alie Badara disclosed that his administration is committed to cleaning Port Loko City. He said that commitment is demonstrated in the introduction of the Monthly Last-Saturday Cleaning exercise in the city.

“My administration and I will continue to knock doors and look for partners to bring development for the people of Port Loko City” he stated.

In his keynote address, Ambassador Tamba Lamina, Minister of Local Government and Community Affairs commended the people of Port Loko for turning up amidst the raining weather. He shared that that demonstrates their commitment and willingness to embrace development. He encouraged the people not just to focus on the benefit of food items but embrace proper waste management habits for environmental conservation. “I urge you all to embrace this project especially the youths so you can be trained in plastic recycling and become self-employed. This is just the beginning” he closed.

Buttressing his boss, the Deputy Minister of Local Government and Community Affairs, Alfred Moi Jamiru urged the council to engage with its people and other stakeholders to embrace and strengthening collaboration in waste management. He shared: ‘WHH has continuously demonstrated its commitment with working with local stakeholders and the government of Sierra Loene by extension and the intervention of WHH will be determined by the interest demonstrated by the council and the people of Port Loko”.  He closed by encouraging the people to pay their Local Tax and support the local council.

The people of Port Loko turned out in huge numbers with plastic waste and lined up in two key locations to benefit from the food items in exchange for their plastic. They were gleeful and thanked WHH for bringing food to their home and assured WHH and the local stakeholders that going forward they will practice waste management and sorting in their homes and communities.