By Aja Beyai
The University of The Gambia (UTG) on Monday received a major boost to its environmental sustainability efforts as the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TiKA) handed over waste-management equipment as part of its “Zero Waste on Campus Project.”
The initiative, launched at UTG’s Faraba Banta Campus, aims to promote recycling, improve waste management, and foster a culture of environmental responsibility among students and staff.
The handover ceremony was attended by Türkiye’s Ambassador to The Gambia, H.E. Türker Oba; TiKA Gambia Coordinator Ali Kerim; UTG staff and students; members of the press; and other guests.
Under the project, TiKA donated recycling containers, waste-separation units, and waste-collection equipment to support source segregation and improve campus sanitation.
Speaking at the ceremony, TiKA Gambia Coordinator Ali Kerim said the project is about more than just equipment.
“Universities play a key role in shaping the environmental awareness and social responsibility of young generations,” he said. “This project aims to create a lasting culture of zero waste among students.”
The UTG initiative is the second phase of TiKA’s 2026 Zero Waste Programme in The Gambia. The first phase, launched at Gunjur Senior Secondary School and Maarif Schools in Banjul, provided students with practical training in recycling, sustainable consumption, and material reuse.
A third phase will see the installation of zero-waste stations at Bijilo Nature Park to promote environmental protection and cleanliness in one of the country’s key public nature areas.
Together, the three projects target schools, higher education institutions, and public spaces as part of a broader effort to promote recycling and advance sustainable development.
Addressing the gathering, Ambassador Türker Oba described Türkiye and The Gambia as “two brotherly countries” with a strong and growing partnership.
He noted that Türkiye’s Zero Waste Initiative was launched in 2017 under the leadership of First Lady Emine Erdoğan, and that since 2022, the United Nations has observed March 30 as International Zero Waste Day.
The ambassador also commended First Lady Fatoumatta Bah-Barrow for being among the first signatories to the Global Commitment to Zero Waste in 2022. He further noted that The Gambia co-sponsored the UN resolution promoting zero-waste initiatives, submitted by Türkiye later that year.
“Through this project, we have taken a concrete step in The Gambia towards Zero Waste goals,” Ambassador Oba said.
Representing the Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Ousainou Sarr, Dean of the School of Education, welcomed the donation and praised the Turkish Embassy’s continued support of the university.
“This is the second time they are coming with gigantic interventions,” he said, referring to an earlier tree-planting initiative at the campus.
He said the donation comes at a critical time as UTG continues to expand.
“Your intervention today helped us achieve that,” he told the delegation.
Dr. Sarr emphasized the importance of environmental stewardship, describing the donation as both practical and symbolic.
“What is more important about the donation is the fact that it’s sending a message. Going forward, we must take care of our environment. We must act more responsibly.”
He assured TiKA that the university would put the equipment to good use.
“We will take care of it so that it will continue to serve the very purpose for which they are provided: to make the campus cleaner, to make the campus greener.”
The Zero Waste on Campus Project supports the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those relating to responsible consumption, climate action, and quality education.
