E-waste is a challenging issue in Africa. The continent is still facing many difficulties in ensuring appropriate recycling for this kind of waste.
The challenges hindering the development of a sustainable e-waste management system are numerous: they range from lack of dedicated infrastructures and legal frameworks to matters related to education, human health, and eco-responsibility. According to the Global E-waste Monitor, Africa recycles less than 1% of the e-waste available on the continent, a reality that shows how crucial the e-waste issue is.
In Ivory Coast, West Africa, Electronic Waste Africa (EWA) is one of the rare initiatives addressing e-waste. The organisation is engaged in building an inclusive and sustainable e-waste management ecosystem as both a strong means to fight poverty in local e-waste workers’ communities and a viable way to promote human health preservation and environment protection.
This kind of work always requires an operational strategy in alignment with a clear vision to create tangible impact. As EWA was not equipped enough with such skills, the impact generated through the accomplished works was somehow limited.
Joining the Dela programme and hosting an impactful inaugural event
Joining the Dela programme over the past twelve months has revealed to be an amazing learning journey. As the Director of EWA, I have had the chance to benefit from a pool of expertise that helped to adjust my organization’s vision and build a brand-new strategy plan that was more specific, result-oriented, flexible, and focused on creating a systemic change in the e-waste sector in Ivory Coast.
With the new tools and knowledge, my team and I have acquired through the Dela programme, a deep transformation of the local e-waste sector has begun.
For example, the E-waste Days 2024 organised during the Scoping and Experimentation phase of the Dela programme was the first-ever gathering of e-waste workers aiming to build strong connections among stakeholders.
