Ninety-seven women and young people have completed a two-month training course in the collection, sorting and transportation of plastic PET bottles in Boane, Maputo province, under the Women and Youth Empowerment and Development Programme (Valorização e Empoderamento de Mulheres e Jovens, VENJ), promoted by Coca-Cola Mozambique, with the aim of strengthening their professional skills and generating income.

Speaking at the certification ceremony, Coca-Cola Mozambique’s Director of Public Relations, Communications and Sustainability, Neide Pires, said the programme, which has been implemented since 2022, aims to transform the beneficiaries into entrepreneurs capable of creating employment opportunities in their communities.

“After this training, our trainees will train other women and young people in their communities. Each one can train around 10 people and, from there, can lead collection groups and employ between five and eight people,” she explained

For her part, the President of the Boane Municipal Council, Geraldina Bonifácio, highlighted the importance of PET bottle recycling for solid waste management, environmental protection and income generation.

“We want the recycling of these bottles to become an activity that plays a more important role in solid waste management and also in protecting our environment,” she said.

The mayor of Boane thanked Coca-Cola for its support to the beneficiaries, particularly for providing work kits which enable the women and young people to carry out their activities with greater dignity.

Geraldina Bonifácio also argued that the development of the town depends not only on the construction of roads, schools and other buildings, but also on valuing people, providing professional training and distributing opportunities to improve the well-being of communities.

Speaking on behalf of the trainees, Aldina Mandlate, who has been collecting bottles for 17 years, said the work was difficult but essential to supporting families.

She urged her fellow trainees not to give up the activity, as it provides a source of income and helps support their households.

The training covered topics related to the collection, sorting and transportation of PET bottles, as well as the development of skills in leadership, planning and income management. At the end of the course, the beneficiaries received work kits to improve the conditions in which they carry out their activities.

The initiative aims to improve the beneficiaries’ living conditions by creating income-generating and employment opportunities, while also strengthening the role of recycling in solid waste management and environmental protection.