By: Foday Manneh
Recycling waste products is good for the environment and creates opportunities to earn a living.
In urban or densely-populated towns, waste materials like old car tyres are often dumped everywhere. Thus there is growing public concern over environmental pollution when such materials are burnt.
Experts say worn-out car tyres can be transformed into new products beneficial to a country.
And so we have a young mother living in Kololi, in the Kanifing Municipal Council, one Maimuna Gassama. She has started recycling worn-out tyres into home furnishings, such as tables and stalls for sales outlets.
The young lady’s first attempt was assembling a house table made from discarded car tyres with a glass top and cloth cover. She was motivated by a video on YouTube.
“I saw it on YouTube and decided to find the materials used to make it. They are very easy to have. I was given the used car tyre for free at the mechanic’s workshop where I do my car repairs. I attempted the first time and made a table. That one is now in my room,” she told Alkamba Times.
According to Maimuna, the table is substantial and wouldn’t get damaged quickly since the materials used are durable. Maimuna said it took just an hour to succeed in her first attempt.
Maimuna intends to earn an income from her work, and she is appealing to the business community to support her business by buying her products and re-sell them.
The wife and mother of four said she has a supportive husband. “I make sure I finish my house chores before I start making these things; I have a special time for it.”
Maimuna dreams of expanding her business, training, and employing other young people in the same trade. She also wants to reach a broader market in and outside The Gambia for her products.
“I want to advise my fellow women to venture into such. We don’t need to fold our hands and wait for men to support us. We can be creative, make a living, and have a happy life.”
An environmentalist, Muhammed Hydara, said in an interview that the recycling of waste such as old tyres would help prevent pollution of the environment.
“Effective recycling of such materials could create economic opportunities and green jobs. It helps to stimulate the growth of recycling industries, promotes innovation in waste management technologies, and fosters a more sustainable and resilient economy.”
