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By Tendai Guvamombe
The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization(UNESCO) in partnership with Sunshine Network across Southern Africa last week successfully launched #Trash Hack Media Campaign aimed at encouraging young people to actively participate in environment-related issues and activities.
The social media campaign will be an ideal platform for young people to enhance sustainable development through knowledge sharing, awareness-raising, and seeing value in some of the opportunities presented in the existing space.
The launch has been spearheaded by the Zimbabwe Sunshine Group (ZSG), a youth-led organization that has a considerable following and representation in the Southern African Region.
Representatives from UNESCO, Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Environment Climate Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Environmental Management Agency (EMA), Climate Change Management Department (CCMD), Sunshine Network, and youth movements attended the virtual launch.
The #Trash Hack Media Campaign will see young people partaking in the use of social media platforms in posting picture images, videos, and shared materials on environmental related issues.
Delivering the keynote address, Ms. Carolyn Medel-Anonuevo, Head of ED Unit, UNESCO ROSA Harare, Zimbabwe said the campaign was part of actions to engage young people in the region to pave way for sustainable development.
“The Trash Hack Media Campaign is part of concrete actions in the region to foster opportunities for young people and their active participation on sustainable development.”
She added that the campaign was part of a bigger project that needs to be implemented going into the future.
“The initiative is a small component of a larger programme that needs to be implemented going into the future. There are other issues outside waste management such as waste in mining, COVID-19 waste, industrial waste and waste in oceans.”
The global campaign will also enhance an awareness drive through education by taking advantage of the existing digital platforms on social media and other relevant means of communication.
Speaking during the launch, Lawrence Mashungu Climate Change Mitigation Expert in the Climate Change Management Department under the Ministry of Environment, Climate Tourism and Hospitality Industry applauded UNESCO for spearheading the involvement of young people in matters of environment and sustainable development.
“I am very much excited from the government point of view in seeing our partners such as UNESCO coming on board furthering interests of young people in the matters of environment and young people.”
He also applauded the Zimbabwe Sunshine Group(ZSG) for seriously taking issues of waste management which are listed in the country’s Low Emissions Development Strategy (LEDS).
“Zimbabwe Sunshine Group (ZSG) among other young people, are doing great in terms of advancing sustainable projects in the waste sector. These actions are part of the actions listed in Zimbabwe’s Low Emissions Development Strategies which presents a number of opportunities for young people.”
The launch also revealed that young people constitute a huge percentage of the country’s population and they must be involved in all matters of sustainable development.
Zimbabwe Sunshine Group (ZSG) Executive Director, Ronny Mbaisa said the campaign will go a long way in raising awareness and addressing the effects of improper waste management practices being faced by different communities highlighting that young people are key in the promotion of trash education and awareness drive.
“Effects of improper management of trash has severe effects on the environmental components (water, land, atmosphere, biodiversity). One of the major strategies in addressing such a predicament is to intensify trash education and awareness so as to transform people’s thinking and call for actions that will change people’s thinking on environmental sustainability.
Globally, many people are aware of local issues and initiatives and are already taking action to live more sustainably. But rather lack platforms for sharing their own local and practical solutions. The scenario has affected the drive for change towards sustainability which Trash Hack campaign wishes to address.”