Waste to Wonder Worldwide’s Post

In rural Zimbabwe, women make up 70% of household labour and are key to food production. Yet, they face challenges such as limited access to resources and skills. HDC is proud to launch its groundbreaking training programme, “Unleashing Women's Potential – Gender and Agricultural Entrepreneurship”, aimed at empowering women in agriculture and driving sustainable economic growth. Through our Hub and Spoke Model, we are working with partners to integrate smallholder farmers, including women, into mainstream value chains. The training programme is therefore designed to equip participants with practical skills to give them the boost they need.

Here's my 2024 LinkedIn Rewind, by Coauthor.studio: Building sustainable water ecosystems requires more than engineering—it demands reimagining entire markets. In 2024, I discovered that true transformation happens when we connect technical expertise with community vision. My journey this year wasn't just about water infrastructure; it was about creating pathways for local entrepreneurs to drive meaningful change across Uganda's WASH sector. Key milestones that reshaped my understanding: 📌 Led the development of a WASH market ecosystem, working towards enabling financial inclusion for local MSMEs 📌 Delivered targeted training programs that enhanced Non-Revenue Water management across regional utilities 📌 Advanced climate-resilient infrastructure strategies through the WaterWorx Project 📌 Expanded mentorship impact, guiding emerging leaders through the Girls for Girls Program Three posts that captured our collective learning: "The Power of Starting!" A reminder that long-term impact emerges from consistent community commitment "Seven years ago, Allen Sophia Asiimwe and her colleagues started a journey that has inspired 6000 mentees and mentors in Uganda and 27 other countries." https://lnkd.in/dzxQmnbS "Reflections at Uganda Water and Environment Week": Highlighting the critical importance of localised solutions "Randomness is a reality and requires synthesising ideas in a localised context." https://lnkd.in/d8NuSJPu "EU-WOP Accomplishments": Demonstrating how partnerships drive sustainable water services https://lnkd.in/drsR7TT8 Looking ahead to 2025: I'm focused on scaling our WASH market ecosystem, strengthening utility resilience through innovative financing, and continuing to build infrastructure that truly serves communities. To the WASH entrepreneurs, utility partners, and mentees across Uganda—your courage and commitment fuel our collective progress. Together, we're not just managing water; we're creating opportunities for community leaders and delivering sustainable services to the last mile😊 #WASH #SDG6 #WaterInnovation #LinkedInRewind

This is a really interesting article by Nikesh Sharma about the concept of 'Scaling with Government'. Many Irish #SocialEnterprises aim to ultimately be incorporated into the government's body of work. A couple of points that stood out to me: - It is very slow to progress - There are many ways it can happen - The government will unlikely pay for the entire solution - There is likely no 'exit' strategy for the social enterprise, they will need to stay involved to ensure continued commitment - Collaboration means mutual trust, empathy and accountability not just working together - and it extends to the wider ecosystem

We're excited to welcome another inspiring group of #socialenterprises and #impactorganizations to the #TRANSFORMSupportHub! Please join us in welcoming: Abetec Hub-Cisco Networking Academy is a Kenyan social enterprise working to create sustainable economic opportunities for women and young people in Kenya through training in digital literacy, life skills, vocations, and entrepreneurship. Triple Shine Foundation NPC provides self-service pump dispensers for household products, without the wasteful packaging. Its innovative, socially inclusive micro-franchising model creates economic opportunities for women and young people in rural areas, while expanding access to household essentials for their communities. #NacholaGumsandResins is a social enterprise focused on providing employment opportunities for people living in the marginalized regions in Northern Kenya. It employs members of the community to collect Gum Arabic, which it then processes for export to be used in the food industry as a sweetener and emulsifier. #Enzokuhle is a South African social enterprise working to clean illegal dumping sites by collecting waste while creating jobs and income for its waste collectors. By employing waste collectors, its business model helps alleviate poverty while also restoring the environment. Stem Mets is a social enterprise committed to nurturing, enriching and inspiring young minds by providing quality, innovative and alternative educational learning platforms. Its world class services are skillfully designed to equip Nigerian children and the youth at large with the necessary skills sets to compete and succeed in the 21st century and the future global workforce. Safi Organics Ltd. is an agribusiness company that produces a tailor made organic fertilizer fit for farmers' soils across sub saharan Africa. Using a combination of hardware technology and an internet-of-things real-time control and sensing system, it decentralizes and downsizes the fertilizer production process, making it feasible to implement localized fertilizer production in rural villages using only locally available resources, labor, and waste. We look forward to supporting their important work for a more #equitable and #sustainable future! #partnershipsforthegoals TRANSFORM (Unilever, FCDO & EY)

Here are suggestions to support President Anura Kumara Dissanayake's vision for Sri Lanka: 1. Economic Diversification: Promote policies that encourage diverse industries to reduce reliance on a single sector. 2. Sustainable Agriculture: Implement training programs for farmers on organic farming and sustainable practices. 3. Youth Empowerment: Create initiatives to engage and empower young people in politics and community service. 4. Healthcare Access: Expand health services in rural areas, focusing on preventive care and community health education. 5. Education Reform: Revise the curriculum to include critical thinking and technology skills for future job markets. 6. Environmental Conservation: Strengthen policies for protecting natural resources and promoting biodiversity. 7. Public Transport Improvement: Invest in public transportation infrastructure to improve connectivity and reduce congestion. 8. Transparency Initiatives: Establish independent bodies to oversee government spending and promote accountability. 9. Community Development Projects: Support local initiatives that address specific community needs and encourage grassroots participation. 10. Civic Engagement: Foster an environment for open dialogue between citizens and government to ensure that public concerns are heard and addressed. These suggestions can help build a stronger foundation for Sri Lanka's future.

I hope this puts perspective and context around the issue of clean water access in communities. #sustainability #community #socialchange #socialimpact #impact #impactinvesting #changemakers #entrepreneurship #sdgs #sdg6 #partnership #water #watercrisis #waterpoverty #leadership #management #innovation #africa #ghana #kenya #uganda #sustainabledevelopment #leadership #philanthropy #giving #community #csr #esg Project Maji

In South Africa, a unique farming initiative is proving that skills development can break barriers and transform lives. By creating opportunities for individuals with hearing disabilities, this project demonstrates the power of inclusive skills training. From tilling the soil to supplying fresh produce to local supermarkets, participants are not only earning a living but also gaining the confidence and ability to support themselves. The impact goes beyond farming—this initiative highlights how access to skills development can open doors for those facing challenges, fostering independence and driving economic inclusion. Skills development isn’t just about education; it’s about empowering individuals to build sustainable futures. Let’s advocate for inclusive opportunities that benefit everyone! #SkillsDevelopment #Empowerment #Inclusion #Agriculture #EconomicGrowth

🌿 Green Jobs: Paving the Path to Sustainable Futures 🌿 The green economy isn't just about environmental preservation—it's a transformative opportunity for creating inclusive, sustainable employment. Green jobs are at the heart of this transition, spanning sectors like policy advocacy, innovation, and sustainable industrialization. 🌍 Why Green Jobs Matter: 🔹 Empowering Youth: With Kenya's vibrant youth population, there’s enormous potential to create meaningful employment while tackling climate challenges. Initiatives like CDS Kenya's Women Entrepreneurship Programmes are fostering skills and supporting livelihoods. 🔹 Education & Mentorship: Building capacity starts early—programs like model farms in schools can foster hands-on experience, nurturing the next generation of environmental leaders. Finding the right mentors can guide young talent into impactful careers. 🔹 Circular Economy: Emphasizing reuse, recycling, and sustainable consumption creates green jobs while reducing waste and resource depletion. The Role of CDS Kenya: At CDS, we’re addressing the challenge by: • Facilitating and managing proposals for green projects. • Building networking opportunities to connect stakeholders. • Prioritizing youth-centric projects for job creation and skill-building. Whether it's renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, or environmental advocacy, green jobs offer economic growth, environmental stewardship, and social inclusion. Let’s build a workforce that protects the planet while driving development. 🌱 #UNEP,#ILO, #UNDP, #WWF, #GGGI

SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS Parents have the desire to look after and provide for their children, but many do not have the means by which to do this. We believe that every individual, especially those who are the most vulnerable, should have the opportunity to be able to earn an income and work to improve their own situation in life. We provide training and education to enable people to increase and diversify their incomes. This is to make sure that households are more resilient to economic and environmental shocks. Studies have shown that women are ‘change’ agents as they tend to spend a greater percentage of their income on their household’s welfare than men do. Focusing on empowering women therefore has a multiplying impact on families and the wider communities in which they live. In addition to these approaches, we look to enable market access for business owners through facilitating the set up of cooperatives. In Uganda, this ensures that farmers are growing quality produce, bulk selling and receiving fair prices at market. Click here to find out more: https://lnkd.in/eF6gNE8Z

Public opinion plays a pivotal role in shaping policy formulation and implementation. This is one critical lesson I have learned throughout my decade-long professional journey. It is why I am so dedicated to creating a critical mass of people who understand the intricacies of #FoodSystems transformation and effective #ClimateAction. To advance this agenda, I have made it a habit to proactively build coalitions that enhance our collective ability to influence the policymaking process. Connecting online has been one of my key strategies, often leading to meaningful in-person meetings. Today I had the privilege of meeting Sarah Field and #David Jordan OBE from Sand Dams Worldwide, whose work I have been following closely. Meeting them in Kenya, after tracking their projects for so long, was a special moment. Sarah shared inspiring stories from their work in Makueni County, where the Sand Dam projects are making a profound difference. The conversation left me energized, especially considering my background and understanding of how #AccesstoWater plays a transformative role in climate change #adaptation and #foodsecurity. I am eager to explore how such projects can be scaled for greater impact. I look forward to collaborating with this remarkable team to amplify efforts in the lead-up to 2030—exploring innovative ways to achieve #ZeroHunger, #EndPoverty, and foster #ClimateAction within safe planetary boundaries. Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (#SDGs) requires not just individual effort, but collective action through deliberate collaboration—locally and globally. Together, we can drive meaningful change. UN Food Systems Coordination Hub Michael Maluki