A Call for Action
If there is one project we as AFICS, can champion, and which I believe would have a mammoth impact on Egypt's wellbeing from every respect despite its mundane property, is no more no less that undertaking a huge campaign for WASTE MANAGEMENT that would mobilize the state, NGOs, the media, the private sector, the National Council for Human Rights (at least for the right to live in a dignified environment) youth, women, the military and the police as well as the UN system. This is because despite the many efforts done by civil society organizations, despite the fact that we have a full fledge governmental body to deal with environment, we have a major problem in having our streets without garbage, our buildings (outside flats) without filth; our water without waste (despite of its being the source of life, and if things will go on the way they are, it will be the source of premature death, as it is now the source of disease). What spurred this sudden awakening is that since killing of swines to prevent H1N1 took place, garbage collectors have no longer incentives to collect garbage, and hence garbage in the streets has augmented, dramatically, let alone water pollution. Let us use the month of Ramadan to launch a national campaign that rejects acceptance to live surrounded by garbage and water polluted. Let us succeed. If you feel, as I do, the shame and disgust I have to walk in streets full of garbage (though I even have the privilege to live in Zamalek), react by sending back your name and contact this would mean you are ready to take part in this campaign and we can take it from there. I hope that this email becomes a chain that, using facebook (I dont know how to use it) or any other way to reach decision makers, and people everywhere in Egypt makes us refuse the unacceptable and ACT. If there is no reaction to this call for action, then may be we deserve where we are.
Seheir Kansouh
Development Practitioner
UNDP Policy Adviser,retired
Founder and CEO Beyond Public Policy Quarterly
A picture is worth a thousand words...glad you inserted that pile of rubbish. The media has picked up the disaster and every day there are promises of change. Let us see.
ReplyDeleteYesterday we..Tree Lovers Association had channel 2 shooting program about maadi gardeners. We had to call RAis El Hay to remove piles of rubbish. Just mention the media and they get to work. We need the continuous WITNESS of media to follow up the campaign, showing the good the bad and the ugly!!!
In gratitude
Samia Zeitoun
I think this is a great idea
ReplyDeleteGood initiative! To have less garbage to take care of, let us all work on reducing the amount of garbage we are producing daily.
ReplyDeleteIf you live in Heliopolis, we can help you a little bit by accepting for drop of all items that be re-used for arts and crafts with children. I am also planning to have a compost set up in and for our garden. You may be able to contribute with your organic waste. Please contact me at ulrike@buzzy-bee.net for more details.
Our network is bigger and bigger, yet not everyone is yet accustomed to using BLOG for communication. We will get into it. Today Amb. Tallawy, Chair of AFICS (The Association of International Civil Servants in Egypt) and other members: Dr. Emad Adly, Dr.Iman Bibars, Mrs. Sohra Merabet and self met with Mr. Mohamed El Sawy, Founder of The Saakiet El Sawy to agree on a pulic consultation day where experts in waste management, governmental officials, NGOs,the Media, the Pirvate sector and interested indivduals starting with those who subscribed to this network, will be invited for an open debate to take benefit from the various views (social, technical, economic, cultural) that will help build a strategy and a plan of action in which all categories are expected to play a role.
ReplyDeleteBest Seheir Kansouh, 29 August 2009
Joinning this group with a vision in mind, that is to live in a clean beautiful environment, we deserve that and our children deserve that too.
ReplyDeleteThe need for a plan of action is really urgent with all the diseases attacking our country, proper garbage disposal is a necessity.
Best Heba Darwish
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteMaadi has become worse than the poorest villages I have seen ,since the villages use remains of foods for their chicken,though perhaps now they do not have chicken, while here we have only stray dogs everywhere, and neither chicken nor pigs to eat the remains. Maadi is suffering from piles of garbage everywhere,which has never been the case before. I notice also something terrible: people want no more to pay the garbage collector the miserable L.E.5 he takes, but prefer to throw their garbage in plastic bags that explode on the street and make it dirtier. They are adopting the attitude of the slums instead of that of enlightened and committed citizens to improve this area which used to be one of the cleanest and loveliest of Cairo.Where is the Hay which takes a fund to clean the area?? So we need also to fight this new attitude of recklessness which results in an increase in mice which is a very dangerous phenomenon,since we have quite close to Egypt an outbreak of plague. People simply do not understand nor know what plague is!We are shifting to the Middle ages instead of becoming more aware of the simple basics of health, in this age of science and technology. So not only do we need to get our garbage collected ,but also need to create awareness among people of its very serious dangers. What is happening to people???? The media have to work harder on this problem and perhaps show them some well-taken photos picturing its terrible consequences to make them realize the seriousness of the matter.Perhaps we could use "Beyond " in addition to TV . I am ready to join in such a campaign which needs to be well organized to become effective and save Egypt from this terrible new calamity.
ReplyDeleteDr. Marlene Kanawati,Ph.D.
AUC and NGO activist.
Yesterday program on Orbit called cairo today presented el kahira el youm by amr Adib dedicated a whole segment on the catastrophe of garbage and its perils. Those who phoned in to complain were from all over the governorates of egypt ...they were in a state of panic ..just like us ...the many questions posed were left unanwered....where is the Hay? where is the rule of law? where is the ministry of health?
ReplyDeleteThe cry above all was ALL WE WANT is to REMOVE the RUBBISH NOW!!!!!!!! So yes the media is on board....they promised it would be an ongoing debate until action is taken.
Samia Zeitoun
Tree Lovers Association
Maadi
This is just to say "I'm blogged in".
ReplyDeleteAs I have started this campaign, I just wish to let you know that we at AFICS (the Association of International Civil Servants in Egypt) are not staying idle. Very soon you will all know the steps we are taking and how you can be involved, each in his or her domain. In the meantime, the newpapers are giving hell to those in charge. But this is not enough, everything has to be strategized for impact. Best, Seheir
ReplyDelete"You never fail until you stop trying" Anonymous - got thru Aly Zulficar
ReplyDeleteTaking stock of all complexities of this field and all actors is a huge task, but we are getting there and we want our campaign to succeed in making a change, that is also durable. So, please stay tuned. Seheir
During last week, Al Akhbar newspaper published an interview with a man called Israeel Ayaad, nicknamed "The Emperor of Garbage Collectors".
ReplyDeleteMr. Ayaad summarized in few clear words ALL the problems that have resulted in the "garbage crisis", and given solutions.
The bottom line of the "garbage crisis" is nothing more than "corruption". The money collected by governorates for the removal of garbage is simply not going to the right pockets.
Yesterday I received my Electricity bill. The tax imposed for the removal of garbage has been increased (without any announcement or approval from the Parliament) from 9 EGP to 15 EGP.
This means that the Government is now collecting about 150 million pounds EVERY MONTH for garbage removal.
Happy Bairam to All. As of Wednesday, life in Egypt will resume its regular tempo. We, at AFICS are moving into the preparatory phase of the initiative: Briefly, this will consist of a series of public consultations to discuss the various aspects of this multifaceted and complicated issue, that is solid waste management, in a strategic, technical, and economically and institutionally realistic fashion. The purpose is to build on what was/is being done, and to ensure that all those governmental, non-governmental and private sector parties that had, or have a role in this area, join hands towards reaching a durable and effective chain reaction towards change at the right scale. Seheir
ReplyDeleteNO GARBAGE
ReplyDeleteGarbage collection is considered the most critical problem in various districts of Cairo nowadays and it has its negative impacts on public health and the beauty of our streets.
Back alleys, streets used to be clean but now they are always dirty, why? :-
• Quality of service deteriorated,
• Increase in population
• Modern fast life style
• People lack of initiative, time and awareness.
These are the main contributors to this problem.
No real effort seems to be exerted to study the reasons and to make an action plan with solid steps to overcome this disaster.
Residents are careless and refuse to pay the garbage collectors and to make it worst they started throwing their wastes on the streets behind and in front of their own buildings.
Awareness is the key issue in solving this problem, educating people on:-
• What to do with their garbage
• How to do it
• Benefits of doing it
• Negative impact in case of no involvement or cooperation.
Parties who can help in this problem:
• The Governorate
• Local Popular Council of city
• The Environment Protection Organization
• Media, TV, Newspapers, speakers of mosques, schools
• Every household.
Activities:
• Removal of existing wastes from the streets and alleys.
• Generation of work opportunities
• Conducting intensive environmental awareness campaigns.
• Training courses for workers
Awareness means "Change The Mind Set"
Build public awareness by launching campaigns on :-
• How to recycle
• How to decrease the volume of your garbage
• What to do when you see someone who is harming the environment.
• Draw the steps for implementation
• Control through supervision and more education.
• How to change the behavioral patterns of the households.
Local authorities can start by facing the problems with solid steps that can lead to real solutions. We know that they are usually faced with lack of resources and difficulty in implementation.
NGOs MNO's should have a contributing role in sponsoring the activities and setting a role model for other organizations to follow.
Promoting cleanliness, hygiene and pollution control should not be difficult. But ignorance and carelessness will be our main obstacles.
But when people see positive steps being taken they will participate. Their attitude will shift to be a responsible one. I hope.
Heba Darwish
Would like to announce that a special issue of "Beyond" - periodic public policy supplement of Al Ahram Weekly - on garbage and solid waste management is due tomorrow, Thursday 22 October 2009. Get your copy, it took from us a lot of work.
ReplyDeleteSeheir Kansouh
On Sunday 13 December 2009, I will make a statement on "A Human Development Perspective of Solid Waste Management: The Necessity for an Integrated Approach to Problem Solving. Other speakers (more technical) are Mrs. Siyada Greis, Shoura Council, and Dr. Laila Iskandar, Chair, CIDA Consulting. The event is sponsored by the Ambassador of Canada at Sakkiet El Sawy, Zamalek, 6 p.m. Seheir Kansouh
ReplyDelete