Recyclers Are Gifted School Bags for the New School Year
The Belize Solid Waste Management Authority made its annual donation to about twenty-two recyclers. In the small token of appreciation, each recycler received one school-bag with supplies. While gifting a single school bag may not seem like much; to the recyclers, it is a big help for a child in school and takes some strain off their pockets. News Five’s Andrea Polanco reports.
Andrea Polanco, Reporting
The Belize Solid Waste Management Authority handed out more than twenty back packs with basic school supplies to recyclers who work at the transfer station in Belize City. Communications Officer Tyronne Chimilio says that this is an annual back to school donation to the recyclers to say thank you.
Tyronne Chimilio
Tyronne Chimilio, Communications Officer, Belize Solid Waste Management Authority
“We do for the recyclers on behalf of their contributions of what they do for us as the transfer stations. The bags have been contributed by the Ministry of Forestry, Fisheries and Sustainable Development, with the support of our C.E.O. Mr. Percival Sho. And on our own we take up the initiative to go out and acquire the bags, books, pens and pencils and distribute it to the recyclers for the exceptional job that they have done here at the transfer stations. The recyclers have been working at the transfer stations for years. Actually, they have transitioned from an open dumpsite now to the transfer station. They contribute a lot in terms of the recovery of recyclable materials.”
One of the recipients shares what it means to his family.
Recycler
“I feel actually great because at the end of the day they di do something good fi the people. Not actually fi me, but fi everybody because majority of the time people nuh wah come out and say they do something good but this dah weh I know. They di do something great fi my kid and at the end of the day, I nuh haffi go out and spend the lee money I di mek yah.”
Andrea Polanco
“So, every year you look forward to this lee donation?”
Recycler
“Well, I look forward for it more than anything. If they could help we that is great, if they can’t they just let us know. So, I look forward to it next year and just hoping they bring the best.”
Andrea Polanco
“What you think wah be yuh pickney reaction when you ker home dis bag fi ah?”
Recycler
“Well, I done know how my daughter stand. Well, she wah jump up and say daddy bring something nice fi and she gwein dah school and show all ah fi she friends what fi she daddy bring fi ah. So, by the end of the day, dah something good.”
And while it is only one schoolbag per family, Chimilio notes that this goes a long way for each recycler’s family.
Tyronne Chimilio
“It means a lot to them and they look forward to it every year. And we ensure that in our budget we have that in our plans to make sure that we can always support them by giving back to them for what they have done for us at the transfer stations in terms of recovery. At times the recovery of materials is not always good for them. Sometimes you have good days and sometimes you have bad days. It is a business in itself, so our contribution is very significant and we make sure that we give them to a back to school token to let them hand over to their child.”
Reporting for News Five, I’m Andrea Polanco.
