Mr Williams Wakili, a Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Coordinator under a United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) project, has encouraged tailors to recycle textile waste generated in their shops to create wealth and promote a cleaner environment.
Wakili made the call on Friday during a WASH clean-up day campaign organized for the Tailors’ Association in Ganye Local Government Area of Adamawa State.
He urged tailors to make productive use of fabric waste from sewing activities by recycling the materials into income-generating products, while also maintaining a clean and healthy environment.
“What we are trying to do is to encourage tailors to reuse and recycle some of these materials for better purposes.
“We have seen people who produce doorstep carpets, multicoloured clothes, dusters and other useful items from textile waste,” he said.
He noted that recycling textile waste would significantly reduce dumping sites, improve environmental sanitation and enhance living conditions in the community.
Also speaking, Mr Jared Gangkuba, the WASH Coordinator in Ganye, said the campaign was important to the local government area and the state at large in addressing the challenge of textile waste management.
According to him, the sensitization would help tackle some of the environmental and public health challenges associated with poor waste disposal.
He called on community leaders and tailors to take full advantage of the campaign to explore new opportunities and improve sanitation in their communities.
A tailor, Mr Faruk Audu, commended the organizers for the sensitization and awareness campaign and pledged to apply the knowledge gained for maximum benefit, as well as share it with colleagues.
He recalled that before the training, many tailors burnt their waste materials instead of recycling them.
Audu added that the campaign had exposed them to various recycling options, including making pillows, mats, mops and other items from textile waste.
Also speaking, Miss Gloria Ojojonah, a member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), expressed confidence that sustained campaigns would significantly improve community waste management in the area.
It was reported that the campaign was organized by the Adamawa State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency, with support from UNICEF and funding from the Netherlands.
The event also featured a sanitation exercise involving NYSC members and community residents.
