ETHIOPIA: Video Documentary by Catholic Youths Promotes Waste Recycling for Clean Environment
Recycling of waste materials by Catholic Youths in Ethiopia
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
In response to Pope Francis’ call for a year-long commemoration of the Encyclical Laudato Si’ which invites every Catholic and person of good will to ensure environmental justice through sustainable practices in building and protecting the earth “Our Common Home,” Catholic youths in Ethiopia, in a recently published video, are creating awareness to the society on recycling of waste materials so as to create a friendly environment for all.
“In the documentary, we focused on recycling of waste materials so that people can learn how to dispose waste materials and have a friendly and clean environment,” the National Youth Coordinator Sr. Selam Berham of the Institute of Daughters of the Heart of Mary (DHM) told AMECEA Online in an interview Wednesday, October 28.
She added, “Many people do not pay attention to how they dispose plastic materials. They care less for our common home, causing risks to ourselves and to the future generation.”
The Ethiopian nun who has been at the helm of the national youth office for two years noted that environment is a uniting factor for all creation, hence the need to care for it and see God in everything he created.
The year-long celebration of the Pope’s Encyclical began May 24, 2020 and will end May 24, 2021.
According to Sr. Berham who is also former coordinator of the International Eucharistic Youth Movement, the youth office anticipates to sensitize as many youths as possible during this period so that they can be keen in caring for the environment, beginning with how they dispose waste materials in their homes.
On her part, the assistant National Youth Coordinator at Ethiopian Catholic Bishops Conference Ms. Yemesrach Assefa Bogale disclosed that they are recycling plastic materials and using them in the office for planting flowers.
“We have begun making use of the recycled products in our office by planting flowers in recycled plastic materials. Through creativity, they give a pleasant look in the office,” Ms. Bogale said adding, “By using these recycled wastes others are inspired.”
Highlighting the benefit of recycling waste materials Ms. Bogale who has served at the National Youth Office for ten months said, “Plastic bottles do not decompose easily and it is difficult even for the waste management of the city to do away with them. So when recycled, they can be used for different purposes at homes and in the offices.”
Ms. Bogale also disclosed that the youth office has various activities to promote Laudato Si” during the one-year celebration.
“We have three more documentaries whose titles are directly from the Encyclical “Laudato Si” which we hope to release in the near future. Besides, we will work on materials to be published in local languages and for online use,” she said and continued “We also plan to do some renovation in the compound at the Catholic Secretariat to give it a green and pleasant look.”
Additionally, “We are writing articles about environment to promote Laudato Si’ and we want people to learn from the videos to always think before they throw away wastes and to have in mind the importance of recycling,” concludes Bogale.
