1. Can you tell us a bit more about your role in the GreenVETAfrica project?

The Presbyterian Relief Services and Development is the relief services and development organization of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana under which the Ramseyer Vocational/Technical Institute operates. Accredited by the Commission for TVET Ghana, the Institute exists to train learners in programmes ranging from Building Construction, Hospitality and Catering, Fashion Designing Technology, and Automotive among others.

The Presbyterian Relief Services and Development as a partner in the GreenVETAfrica Project seeks to contribute to the development of the curriculum on Green Waste Management and Micro Entrepreneurship skills and the Train-the-Trainers activity in the Work Package 3. As a key player in the implementation of Competency-Based Training (Outcomes-Based Education and Training) in Ghana, we hope to bring to bear our long-standing competencies in the TVET sector to support the Leading Partner in WP3 (Whizzy Academy in Ghana) in coming out with a Curriculum which can be presented for accreditation with the Commission for TVET. The PRSD also has the role of leading the Train-the-Trainers report (D3.2).

The PRSD will offer its facilities and resources to implement the GVA VET pilots programme with 50 learners. This means that the recruitment and selection of the TVET Learners for the piloting of the developed curriculum will be done by the PRSD as well. Aside from the aforementioned main roles, the PRSD will support the successful roll-out of all activities of the six other partners in ensuring effective and efficient delivery. 

2. What do you think is the biggest challenge facing the waste management sector in Africa?

The waste management sector in Africa until recently was seen as a sector with little interest by investors because of the nature of the business and its operations. In Ghana, the Zoomlion Company paved the way for others to realise the entrepreneurial potential in the sector. The biggest challenge, therefore, can be attributed to the fact that few well-resourced waste management organisations are in the system leaving so much waste not well managed in the cities. Another challenge has to do with the inability or lack of capacity of the informal waste collectors to separate the waste for their proper use. With regard to technical and vocational education, the pre-tertiary institutes are not equipped to offer programs in waste management.

3. What do you think is going to be the biggest long-term impact of the project?

The biggest long-term effect of the GreenVETAfrica project will be the curriculum to be developed which will be nationally accepted for use in various Pre-Tertiary TVET Institutions in Ghana especially. Many TVET Learners will then have the opportunity to study the approach of the GreenVETAfrica model regarding Green Waste Management and Micro Entrepreneurship skills either through the formal school system or the informal in a digital form.

4. What do you think is the added value of addressing the Waste Management Industry’s issues through an international cooperation project?

The added value which makes the GreenVETAfrica project unique is the entrepreneurial factor introduced to allow the various actors in each level of the value chain to take advantage. Another advantage of having international cooperation is the introduction of digital technology in the delivery methodology which is to be provided by AREA, our partner in Italy. Mundus in Spain will also contribute to the development of the curriculum bringing on board the best practices in Europe.