A JAPANESE-based project which focused on sustainable society has launched a project called ‘Learning and Ecological Activities Foundation for children’ (LEAF) program on Wednesday.
It’s a two years program to be implemented in Honiara.
LEAF is an environmental focus group from Japan which was established in 1998 with the aim of contributing to the development of a sustainable society by initiating community based environmental learning activities at schools and communities.
The organisation also liaises with various civic groups, corporations and government agencies to promote community base environmental learning activities.
In Honiara, this LEAF project comes under the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in partnership with the Honiara City council (HCC).
The aim of this project is to establish a separate collection system of household wastes through public-private cooperation based on the Rs – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Return concept.
A delegation from LEAF in Japan, Lord Mayor, Director of Environment, LEAF local committee, students and general public witnessed the launching at the National Art Gallery yesterday.
Mayor Alfrence Fatai who officially launched the project said, this initiative will transform the face of the city.
He said the city council is happy to see the project being introduced in the city.
He told the visiting the delegation that HCC will continue to work closely with them for the next two years ensuring the program is implemented accordingly in the city.
“HCC will work closely with LEAF for the next two years to ensure LEAF achieves its goals and aim of addressing the waste management and recycling of PET bottles in the city.”
He thanked those who have worked hard to ensure the project comes into reality.
Masayoshi Ogawa, LEAF project manager and Board member of LEAF Japan thanked HCC for allowing them to implement the project in Honiara.
So far LEAF has funded one rubbish compactor for this program and some more trucks will arrive soon.
The LEAF delegation yesterday demonstrated how to use the compactor which will be responsible for collecting bottles.
The compactor will serve the certain areas within Honiara communities to collecting only bottles.
More awareness in schools and communities will be organised soon.
By DENVER NEWTER
