The German Development Cooperation and two well-established and leading Ghanaian private companies are launching a new and transformative project aimed at strengthening Ghana’s plastic waste management ecosystem while improving livelihoods.
Implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and jointly funded through the develoPPP programme together with Zoomlion Ghana Ltd and Blue Skies Product Ghana, the “InnoWaste: Empowering Youth through Innovative Plastic Waste Management Solutions” project seeks to create sustainable economic opportunities for stakeholders across the plastic waste value chain, with a particular focus on women and youth.
By promoting circular economy principles, the initiative will support waste collectors, aggregators, and recyclers to increase their incomes, improve working conditions, and enhance environmental sustainability.
Speaking ahead of the launch, the NIED Cluster Coordinator of GIZ, Wilhelm Hugo, noted, “when we design solutions that work for people, planet, and profit, we create systems that endure.” At the heart of this initiative are people, especially women and the youth who play critical roles along the waste value chain. Through this project, we aim to create green jobs, improve working conditions, expand social protection, and promote dignified and sustainable livelihoods for thousands of Ghanaians.”
Through targeted interventions including awareness creation, capacity building, provision of working tools, improved market linkages, and inclusive business models, the initiative will empower vulnerable groups and contribute to a more sustainable and circular economy. The Sustainability Manager of Blue Skies, Alistair Djimatey also shared, “waste is not waste until we waste its potential and too often, we have overlooked both the material and the people behind it. No more!”
Zoomlion Ghana Ltd, Blue Skies Product Ghana and GIZ want to demonstrate through this partnership that inclusive business models can drive real change as re-echoed by the Public Relations Manager of Zoomlion, Thomas Korley saying, “behind every bale of recycled plastic is a story of effort, survival, and ambition. Our responsibility is to ensure those stories lead to opportunity and prosperity.”
The official launch of the InnoWaste project is scheduled for 28th May 2026.
