Waste Picker Leaders Hold First Africa Regional Meeting in Accra

Accra, Ghana – September 9, 2025

The first-ever Africa Regional Meeting of Waste Picker Leaders is taking place in Accra, Ghana, from September 9–13, 2025, hosted by the Kpone Landfill Waste Pickers Association. The gathering brings together more than 50 leaders from 17 affiliated organizations and three prospective affiliates across 11 countries, alongside allies and international guests. The meeting responds to the call of African waste pickers for a dedicated regional space to strengthen organizing, deepen advocacy, and build unified strategies to address pressing policy challenges.

Africa is home to one of the world’s oldest organized waste picker movements. In the 1970s, the El Tatweer El Motagaded Association for Community Development was established in Egypt, paving the way for other organizations across the continent. Today, twelve member-based organizations in eleven countries represent approximately 72,000 organized waste pickers affiliated with the International Alliance of Waste Pickers (IAWP). Since 2022, these groups have collaborated more closely to secure a stronger voice within IAWP and to advance collective responses to threats such as privatization, dumpsite closures, and the exclusion of informal workers from waste management systems.

Throughout the five-day program, leaders participate in plenary discussions, small-group strategy sessions, and workshops designed to strengthen leadership, project management, and advocacy skills. Sessions focus on critical issues including social protection, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), gender inclusivity, and organizational strengthening. Participants also engage in field visits to cooperatives in Accra, gaining firsthand insights into community-based recycling and waste management initiatives. Networking opportunities with philanthropic partners such as Avina Foundation and Tearfund help identify pathways for long-term collaboration and resource mobilization.

The meeting includes a strong emphasis on women’s leadership, with 13 women leaders participating, and highlights the importance of gender-inclusive organizing. It also facilitates a learning exchange with waste picker leaders from Latin America, the Caribbean, and Europe, underscoring IAWP’s role as a truly global federation of more than 460,000 waste pickers across 35 countries. By centering worker voices and fostering cross-regional solidarity, the Africa Regional Meeting represents a milestone in advancing recognition of waste pickers as essential environmental workers and vital contributors to the circular economy.

For media inquiries, please contact: 

Nicolas Martinez, IAWP Communication Manager [email protected] 
+595994398157 
www.wastepickersinternational.org