Paraplegic women display upcycled plastic products

Celebrating World Earth Day, survivors of 2005 earthquake raise awareness

ISLAMABAD: In an effort towards making Pakistan plastic free and to raise awareness on plastic pollution, paraplegic women (affectees of 2005 earthquake) from Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) unveiled their upcycled plastic products work during an awareness raising event.

Ambassadors of Hungary, Switzerland, Japan, and Poland walked on the ramp with recycled plastic bag, gym bag, grocery tote bag, football bag and wallets to raise awareness on plastic waste recycling.

The event was held to commemorate World Earth Day 2019 and to showcase the works of paraplegic women at the launch of Project Miracle, the event was organized by the Paper Miracles in collaboration with Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), Khumariyaan Band, World Bank, World Food Program (WFP), UNHCR and Roche Pakistan. The event was attended by a number of foreign ambassadors, representatives of INGOs and UN agencies and members of civil society and media.

Elli Takagaki, the founder of Paper Miracles said the magnitude and the complexity of the plastic waste is so overwhelming, as reportedly, Pakistan uses 55 billion plastic bags each year. She said the Project Miracle is a unique initiative launched with the aims to create sustainable income-generation and skill-development opportunities for female earthquake survivors, through recycling the plastic waste into Plarn i.e. plastic yarn, which then can be used to make so many products such as bags. Paper Miracles utilizes labour, resources, and skills in a way that not only provides women with financial benefits, but also imbues in them a sense of security and self-worth, she added.

Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri, Executive Director, SDPI said in order to make Pakistan and the world plastic free, we have to change our norms and attitude towards the usage of plastic. He said plastic is not the problem, but the way we used and make waste is the real problem.

The challenge for us is to adapt the practice of three Rs i.e. reduce, reuse and recycle, he added.

Miangul Adnan Aurangzeb, Head of the former princely family of Swat and Brand Ambassador Project Miracles said 10 rivers are responsible for more than 90 per cent of plastic waste in the ocean, where Indus River is the second worst polluter of the oceans after China

Paraplegic women were taught to create artificial jewellery using recycled paper and plastic. Upcycled plastic items include the astonishing necklaces, earrings and bracelets of the paper beads of different colors.

Project Miracles is an income-generating activity for paraplegic women who suffered injuries during the 2005 earthquake in Azad Kashmir.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 21^st, 2019.