27 Jan 2025

Waste in homes, workplaces and malls should not just be looked at as waste, though it pollutes the environment when not well handled, but it should be looked at as by products which can be re- used in everyday life.

Temo Ramontshonyana, Miss Teen Botswana Top 30 Finalist said during a litter picking campaign organised by the Collaborative Stakeholder Committee at Goo-Lobeko Ward in Kanye on Friday.

“My project which addresses environmental upkeep by using crafts and doing some innovative use of waste materials hence its name Greener Future with Hands.” Temo continued to say that she was looking at reducing waste in the community.

She said waste was not good for the environment as it could make it unattractive thereby leading it to interfere with tourism, mentioning Kanye tourism spectacles such as Mmakgodumo, Mmamokhasi river, and Mongala Mall which are the tourism components to both Kanye residents and tourists from neighboring South Africa.

She said waste materials and poor handling could  lead to global warming especially when waste is burnt despite public education against burning waste. 

She encouraged the youths to arise and account for the environment as well as to participate in environmental cleanliness through creative waste material innovations.

Temo handed two waste bins creatively innovated from waste corrugated iron, to Goo Lobeko Ward

Bangwaketse Queen, who is also the Patron of The Collaborative Stakeholder Committee, Ms Masetsebi Gaseitsewe, expressed gratitude to the youngster for having thought of coming home to reach fellow youths and elders.

“She was thoughtful enough to reach the committee that is trying to handle waste environmental issues. Her projects shows that she understands challenges in the community and it reflects her thinking in working out creative and innovative solutions," she said. 

She further said Temo had looked into how waste affected everyday life.

“She is clearly demonstrating that waste is not only useless, but also useful when she recycled waste bottles to create vases for planting and corrugated iron sheets for the waste bins," noted Ms Gaseitsewe.

She said Temo demonstrated innovation with waste materials.

Mr Songa Mosweu, a Public Health Officer for Kanye District commended Temo for the good work of promoting waste management and sustainable environment.

He said the aspiring queen’s message was simply on mindset change.

 Mr Mosweu shared that the council was currently working on moneytising waste by segregating it into plastics, tins waste and glass.

“Drop Centress with four bins will be created, to segregate waste. These is to make it easy for those doing business with waste materials,” he said. ENDS