Etisalat's recycling venture: helps rural livelihoods, preserves environment.

Today's world is rampant with environmental destruction resulting in dire consequences not only for nature but also for humanity. In this light, Etisalat Lanka embraces its recycling project as one small step in a large battlefield for conservation. However, it is not mere environmental conservation that the project aims at, but more so, a move towards empowering rural Sri Lankan women with self-sufficient livelihoods. In employing rural housewives at the recycling factories, Etisalat believes that the project can act as a powerful tool in lifting the rural economy and enhancing incomes.

The recycling project aims at reusing discarded hoarding flexes. Etisalat will recycle all hoarding flexes which are often dumped following the relevant advertising campaign.

These thrown away material, will now serve another purpose on conversion to grocery bags; an innovative and useful way of dealing with the matter.

These bags will be produced by rural village housewives, giving them a source of income to uplift their quality of living. The bags are sold at a nominal price and part of the income is reimbursed to the housewives.

This initiative was launched in partnership with the Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies (CHA) and the first manufacturing plant was opened in Lunama Ambalantota, last week. The company hopes to start similar projects in other districts.

At the opening of the plant, CSO Etisalat Lanka Sanjeeva Samarasinghe said "In today's world the importance of recycling is a concern both for the public and the economy.

The earth's natural resources are consumed at a rate that reinforces the idea that we are living for today and the future generations will be paying for the consequences.

Recycling along with reducing consumption is our best means to counter the damage we have inflicted for centuries.

Etisalat Lanka has initiated this project, in an effort to curb the damage and contract something positive."