Wildlands Conservation Trust in partnership with iWYZE valuables insurance recently announced the launch of an exciting recycling initiative in the Katorus and greater Alberton area at Monde Primary School. Wildlands have successfully rolled out similar projects in KwaZulu-Natal (uMgungundlovu Project Nodes) with recycling partnerships with 71 schools, 98 businesses and across 35 residential collection partners whereby 1 821 475 kgs were collected in 2011. The Recycling for Life nodes performed exceptionally well in the uMgungundlovu area with 1 056 waste-preneurs bartering 705 504 kg’s of recycling worth R 352 752. iWYZE has now partnered with the NGO to make the first Gauteng implementation possible.
The project, which will initially be piloted at Monde School in the Katlehong area, will provide surrounding communities with the facilities to recycle while also rewarding the schools for their recycling efforts. The reward for schools participating in this project is a guaranteed 40% rebate on the recyclables collected, valued according to weight, and this can be used for improving school facilities or purchasing educational tools for example.
Monde Primary School in Katlehong was a good fit for the iWYZE team as the school is already considered an eco-school and has a multitude of eco-projects already in place. The school has an eco-council, overseeing initiatives such as bird watching clubs, a full vegetable garden and the rehabilitation of indigenous trees in the area.
Recycling Villages, comprising of eight different types of bins – each one labelled for a specific type of waste material (including paper, polystyrene, plastic, cans and glass), have been set up at the pilot school. Parents, pupils and members of the community will be encouraged to separate their waste into the different categories and deliver it to the Recycling Village at the school, a convenient and central collection point.
iWYZE, a member of the Old Mutual Group, are committed to social development and investing in local communities, and have been involved in corporate social investment initiatives since 1965, specifically in education, sports and the arts. iWYZE were inspired by Wildlands’ current successful recycling projects being run at several Kwazulu-Natal schools and shopping centres.
“We are excited about yet another corporate company and school collectively showing their genuine concern for the greater community, and ultimately the benefit of our ecosystems. It is also so rewarding knowing our youth are environmentally aware, especially when we consider that they will determine the future sustainability of our planet,” commented Charmaine Veldman (Programme Manager Indigenous Trees for Life) of Wildlands.
WILDTRUST (registered as the Wildlands Conservation Trust - IT No: 4329/1991/PMB)