The community of Shakas Head on the Dolphin Coast in KwaZulu-Natal is one that prides itself on being environmentally responsible and recently received a little help achieving some of their environmental goals.

The Institute of Waste Management Southern Africa’s (IWMSA) KwaZulu-Natal branch lent the community a helping hand with the donation of products worth R1,000 which went towards the Litter4Tokens programme.

This programme was launched in the Ithemba Labasha community by Clare Swithenbank-Bowman in 2015 to facilitate the clean up of their environment.

The IWMSA said the programme helps the community “to ultimately help improve their lives”.

“Local community members are educated about the importance of recycling and the campaign continuously encourages hard work whilst at the same time feeding and clothing children and families,” Sue Beningfield, an IWMSA committee member said.

The institute said it proudly supports the Litter4Tokens campaign as it aligns well with its goal to educate members of the community on the importance of recycling and the many different uses of waste.

“The campaign aims to instil pride and respect by empowering our youth and community members to give back, work hard and to not rely on hand-outs,” Swithenbank-Bowman said. “Community members collect recyclables and are rewarded with tokens to exchange for goods at the token shop in Ithemba Labasha.”

A local recycling company delivers recycling bags to the crèche in the community every Monday and collects the bags on Friday. Each bag that is brought back gets a token worth R5. Collectors are able to exchange their tokens for goods, many of which have been donated or sponsored.

The token shop is stocked by the community as well as by sponsors. Dry food goods such as sugar beans, mielie meal and rice are popular items at the store as they are long-life foods that produce high quantities to feed families and keep them satiated.

“We believe that instilling pride and respect through recycling is a fantastic initiative that benefits both the environment and the local community,” Beningfield said. “The IWMSA is proud to be associated with an initiative that works towards a clean and healthy environment.”

“Every little bit helps and if we all do our part then lives are changed,” she added. “Making a difference every day goes a long way and we applaud the Litter4Tokens campaign for instilling confidence, pride and respect in the Shakas Head community.”

Beningfield said the community relies on food and clothing donations to help stock the Token Shop which supplies food to the community as well as the volunteers at Ithemba Labasha.

“We hope to eventually roll the campaign out nationwide across all schools and crèches,” she said.