To mark this year’s World Environment Day, themed “Ending Plastic Pollution”, the Rural Self-Reliance Development Centre (RSDC), through its Womenpreneurs4Plastic project, organized a series of awareness and action-oriented events. These activities were conducted in collaboration with Janasuchana Swabalamban Paryawaran Samrakshan Sahakari Sanstha Ltd. (the Cooperative), and in coordination with Budhanilkantha Municipality Ward No. 2. The programs were successfully conducted with enthusiastic community participation.

The celebration began with a vibrant morning rally that set off from the Ward No. 2 office premises. Participants included students from various schools, scouts, teachers, ward officials, municipal staff, cooperative members, RSDC personnel, and local residents. Marching through several neighborhoods of Ward No. 2, the rally featured banners, placards, and slogans promoting environmental awareness. It concluded near the Panchakanya Temple, the proposed site for a plastic collection center to be built by the cooperative. A formal ceremony followed, along with a tree plantation program that underscored the importance of collective environmental stewardship.

The formal event was chaired by Ms. Gyanu Karki Thapa, Chairperson of the Cooperative. Notable guests included a former Provincial Assembly Member of Bagmati Province, the Deputy Mayor of Budhanilkantha Municipality, the Chairperson of Ward No. 2, and the Executive Director of RSDC. In their remarks, guests emphasized the urgent need to combat plastic pollution, calling it a growing and multidimensional environmental threat. They highlighted the importance of environmental balance for the survival of all living beings and stressed the need for stronger waste management systems, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas.

Speakers also praised the proactive role of the cooperative and the Womenpreneurs4Plastic initiative in tackling local plastic waste issues. The Chairperson of Ward No. 2 expressed appreciation for the project’s tangible impact in the community and urged broader support from stakeholders, including the municipality, to help establish a fully functioning plastic collection center. He also advocated for the promotion of the small, plastic-related cottage industry under cooperative leadership.

It is worth noting that the Janasuchana Cooperative has been actively mobilizing community groups to collect household plastic and other recyclable waste, purchasing it at fair prices and reselling it for reuse and recycling. The cooperative has already secured land near the Panchakanya Temple, where it plans to construct the dedicated plastic collection center. RSDC continues to provide technical and organizational support to ensure the long-term success of the Womenpreneurs4Plastic project. In partnership with the cooperative, it remains committed to fostering a cleaner, greener, and more self-reliant community.