Although harmful to the environment, one caring organisation in Bahrain aims to turn the plastic problem into a positive plan.
Rotaract Bahrain is urging people to donate all types of plastic materials to recycle into funds to help provide specialist wheelchairs for the disabled.
The international service organisation is part of Rotary International which was first founded in the kingdom in 1965. It is known for cultivating leaders, promoting professionalism and especially improving communities … which is exactly what members aim to do with their ‘Plastics for Wheelchairs’ project.
Nada Saleh, Rotaract Bahrain’s community service director, said: “The collected plastic will be donated to the Bahrain Association for Parents and Friends of the Disabled (BAPFD) in Adliya where the association will then sell it and use the money to purchase wheelchairs which are custom-designed.”
BAPFD launched its own plastic initiative in 2011 collecting bottles, caps and jars, in addition to other recyclables, under the slogan ‘don’t throw it away … it can be used in some other way’.
Proceeds have been used to purchase wheelchairs and other equipment for children with disabilities.
A custom-built wheelchair is to a regular wheelchair what a cruise liner is to a paddle boat. They provide the user with much more than transportation; they also give the users outstanding comfort and are easy to use.
The challenge is that they cost a lot more than standard issue, between BD1,000 to BD4,000. The association can only purchase one at a time after collecting around 12 to 15 tonnes of plastic. Donations sent to the association also help cover the cost.
Corporations and universities have been supporting BAPFD’s campaign since its launch and Rotaract aims to continue raising the profile of the initiative across the kingdom.
Afaf Al Aseeri, a board member and secretary general at BAPFD, is thrilled with Rotaract Bahrain’s participation and its special campaign. She said: “The plastic initiative has received unparalleled response and cooperation from various governmental, private and civil agencies.
“Many bodies have participated in supporting the project, including the Supreme Council for Women, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Education, the Supreme Council for Environment, the Capital Municipality, the Northern Municipality and many schools, malls and other private sector companies, associations, community clubs and groups.
“Before the pandemic, containers were placed in different areas to collect the plastic, but unfortunately, our collection drops have since had to be limited to containers located opposite our headquarters in Adliya and at Dohat Arad.”
Around 125 children have received special wheelchairs since the start of the initiative and BAPFD has an agreement with the Crown Industries to recycle scrap, metals and plastic.
Ms Afaf hopes to expand the project by providing containers for collection in different areas, as well as providing a device for compressing or cutting plastic to save space, and providing a means of transportation to move the plastic to a storage area and recycling company.
Nada added: “I always recycle with my family but this is the first time that Rotaract has been involved so we can all do it on a larger scale. All kinds of plastic are accepted and it’s for a great cause.”
People can drop off their plastic to Rotaract Bahrain at Sitra Bridge Park on Sunday, December 20, which is sponsored by the Capital Municipality.
For details, follow @rotaractbahrain on Instagram or WhatsApp +21628279492.
