Banyan Global is proud to celebrate World Environment Day on June 5, 2022, and our work with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Recycling in Jordan Activity. Recycling plays an essential role in preserving our environment. It is an important tool that saves energy and prevents greenhouse gas emissions and water pollutants from entering the environment. The USAID Recycling in Jordan Activity helps strengthen capacities in Jordan’s recycling sector in an inclusive way through innovative and sustainable solutions.

The Waste Pickers Training and Certification Program

The integration of informal waste pickers into formal waste collection and the recycling supply chain is a key element of the USAID Recycling in Jordan Activity. To address this challenge the Activity designed a Waste Pickers Training and Certification Program, which is considered the first ever technical training designed and delivered for informal waste pickers in Jordan.

Implemented through a partnership with the non-governmental organization, Jordan Environment Society (JES), the Training and Certification Program targets Jordanian and non-Jordanian males, females, youth, and persons with disabilities in the informal waste collection sector. The Program deploys an interactive methodology based on the fundamentals of adult education. It combines theory and practical application along with sufficient space for brainstorming and exchanges of experiences.

The Training and Certification Program will continue to drive inclusive practices and increase its impact in the waste management sector and recycling and reuse industry. Its goal is to train and certify 1,800 male and female informal waste pickers over the next three years. To date, 12 five-day training cohorts have been conducted, certifying more than 220 male and female informal waste pickers.