On March 10th, in Tuy Hoa City, the GreenHub Development Support Center, in cooperation with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) and the Women's Union of Phu Yen Province, organized a seminar to introduce a job package and conduct training for 150 women working in informal waste collection (informal waste pickers) and to establish 9 women’s recycling waste collection network groups in the province.

According to DARD, there are approximately 1,300 informal waste collectors in Phu Yen, of which more than 90% are women. The informal sector, which involves collecting scrap metal and recyclable materials, plays an important role in reducing the amount of waste that needs to be processed, especially plastic waste.

However, this work is physically demanding, with rudimentary tools, mostly done manually, and without sufficient protective equipment. Social welfare systems, as well as health and social insurance, for this labor group have not received the necessary attention. These workers often face social stigma or discrimination when dealing with waste.

At the seminar, representatives from local agencies, GreenHub, and other sectors introduced the capacity-building and cooperation package for women waste collectors in Phu Yen. This package includes the goals and activities plan, while mobilizing and connecting the involvement of relevant stakeholders in the implementation of the project.

The seminar also held group discussions on strengthening connections and sharing information for the women’s recycling waste collection groups in various localities across the province.

The capacity-building and cooperation package for women waste collectors in Phu Yen is funded by the Global Plastics Action Partnership (GPAP), part of Vietnam's participation in the global plastics action program. The objective is to improve the income and welfare of informal female waste collectors by strengthening and enhancing their current capacity in waste management and environmental protection through essential skills and network support.

Let’s take a look at some photos from the event with GreenHub!

(Images: Participants actively contribute and speak at the Workshop)

(Images: Representative of the organizing committee coordinating the Workshop)