Recognition Across Mwanza Region
On World Environment Day, June 5th, 2024, we organized a series of events to promote environmental awareness in the Mwanza region, specifically in the Luchelele ward, including the streets of Silivini and Sweya. The day began with a jogging session followed by cleaning up abandoned environments and removing plastics and other harmful materials.
Plastics waste continues to be a significant problem in the country, particularly in water sources like Lake Victoria. A 2015 study by the Journal of Great Lakes Research conducted in Mwanza, Tanzania, along the southern shore of Lake Victoria, found that 20% of locally caught Nile perch and tilapia contained plastic particles.
Additionally, a one-month study conducted through the Flipflopi boat expedition, sponsored by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), revealed that many communities around Lake Victoria, which is home to 40 million people, have long struggled with how to dispose of plastic bags, bottles, and containers. The study highlighted that a large amount of these single-use plastics, including the increased use of masks and gloves, end up in Lake Victoria.
Over time, this waste can break down and enter the food chain. While the exact level of plastic pollution remains unknown, one study found that 20% of fish in Lake Victoria had plastic in their bodies, equating to one in five fish containing plastic particles.
There is an urgent need for communities, stakeholders, and authorities to take necessary actions to control this situation, ensuring safe fish and preventing various diseases, including cancer.