Belarussian stakeholders MATRA project visited Ukraine
Between 20 – 27 April 2008 Belarusian participants and stakeholders involved in MATRA project “Developing multi stakeholder cooperation in the areas of water, waste and energy efficiency in Belarus“ visited Ukrainian project
10.06.2008 |Bistra Mihaylova
participants and stakeholders of the MATRA project in Belarus
From 20 – 27 April 2008, a study visit to Ukraine took place for Belarussian participants and stakeholders involved in MATRA project “Developing multi stakeholder cooperation in the areas of water, waste and energy efficiency in Belarus“. Hosts of the program were two NGO’s: “Rosa Vetrov“ in Donetsk- partner organization of Ecoproject, and “MAMA-86“ in Odessa, partner organization of WECF for implementing projects on Ecological sanitation in rural areas in Ukraine.
The visit was divided into two parts were the participants could visit towns in Donetsk region where the local authorities have good program for waste separation and collection, and Odessa where facilities for Ecological sanitation were built.
There were 12 participants from Belarus. Two organizers form Ecoproject, and ten participants who were members of “Dacha“ cooperatives, teachers, representatives of local municipalities, communal services, and private associations. All of them participated actively in the activities held by Ecoproject in Belarus related to MATRA project, and this was one of the criteria for choosing them to participate in the visit. All of them were highly motivated and took part actively in the discussions during the seven days. They will use the knowledge gained in implementing pilot projects in their project areas.
In the regional centre for managing the waste, Donetsk - the participants could understand more about the regional strategic plan for managing the waste in the area for the period 2005-2009. A Presentation from the project program coordinator Benua Plezh was given, explaining the issues of program Tacis and how far are the local authorities with implementing projects for the region of Donetsk.
The same day the visit continue in an ecological organization Ecoacitivity in a village near Donetsk. There the participants had the unique opportunity to meet a person who devoted the last 20 years of his life working for the sake of society and building monuments in memoriam of the victims of Chernobyl .
The organization “Rosa Vetrov“ organized a visit to the towns Kramatorsk and Slavyansk. In Kramatorsk we met the Director of a factory for plastic separation and preparing the bottles for selling to companies which produce soft drinks. The bottles are pressed by a machine, then put into wire nets looking like cubes.
We had the chance to see the waste collection in the town in action. The truck collects the waste every day as it picks the containers with equal colour and store the waste separately.
Discussion with the Director of the factory for waste separation in Kramatorsk.
In Slavyansk, the participants had the opportunity to discuss the waste collection of the town together with the deputy mayor of the town, Vladimir Garkavenko- he shared the experience Slavyansk has specially with separate waste collection, and the weak and strong points which the municipality had to face until they found a good structure to handle the problems which occurred occasionally.
Metal waste separation bins in Slavyansk
The participants also visited a water basin directorate in Slavyansk, where they had the chance to see an up-to-date equipped laboratory for water analysis and the director of the Nord Dontesk basin directorate Viktor Antonenko explained in details the principles of operation and the frequency of monitoring the water quality of the main river Donetsk which passes along the town of Donetsk and it is the major river artery in the region. The laboratory has been funded by Tacis program in Ukraine.
The last day of the stay in Donetsk region the Belarus participants visited the House of Nature in Donetsk, where the host NGO “Rosa Vetrov“ has an office, and there were meetings with the main editor of a local newspaper “Nash Krai“, and with the director of the Governmenatal institution engaged with protection of the environment in the region. There was a discussion on composting- main prinicples, methods and applications of compost in households. The Power point presentations were held by Bistra Mihaylova from WECF, and as an example was used the Bulgarian experience in Master composter program.
Foundations of new Ecosan toilet in the school in village Stepove, discussion with the builder
The organizers of the study visit developed a very intensive program and due to that it was possible to visit the Ecosan toilet in the village of Stepanovka. The WECF partner organization “MAMA-86“ in Odessa built dry urine diverting toilet for 350 children in the school. The toilet had solved the problems of the pupils and now they feel comfortable and safe. Before that they had been using outdoor pit latrine toilet in a very bad condition. In the neighboring village - Stepove the construction of new Ecosan toilet had started within the project “Sustainable development health and dignity“ and the participants had the possibility to see the foundations of the new toilet and to discuss its design with the builder of the construction.
The Ecosan toilet inside-squatting toilet
In Odessa the participants of the study visit visited an energy saving house. In a block of flats an energy saving facility is made in the corridors in order to save some energy and to reduce the bills of the common parts. Also the people in this house are collecting the waste separately. On the last day the participants spent their time in Kiev where they had an interesting meeting with Irina Stavchuk who presented the work of different NGOs in Ukraine on climate change and there was a good discussion about the situation in Belarus in this field.
Closing the circle
The participant discussed among each other the ideas „What can be done in Belarus and how this study visit can influence the successful implementation of the project“. During the discussion the participants tried to refract the acquired information and experiences during their visit in Ukraine according to their situation in Belarus and enhance the transfer of knowledge.
Every participant received a number of relevant information from different stakeholders and it can be used afterwards in Belarus according to the needs of the local citizents.
It is worth to quote
some of the statements people made during the study visit:
- “I got many positive emotions”
- “I gained understanding of some environmental problems and how Ukraine handles them”
- “I got satisfaction nevertheless we are just starting with choosing and implementation pilot projects in Belarus”
- “The study visit was perfectly organized”
- „We received a lot of new useful incentives“
- “I hope that many pilot projects would be realized in Belarus”
- “We are grateful to Ecoproject, WECF, Rosa Vetrov and Mama-86”
The study visit was successfully realized and the Belarusian participants were satisfied with their stay in Ukraine, the ideas and experience they gained would serve them for accomplishing demonstration pilot projects in their project areas.
For further follow up of project activities, please visit our project website.
Contact
- Dr. Anke Stock: anke.stock(at)wecf.eu
- Tatiana Dereviago: tatiana.dereviago(at)wecf.eu
- Bistra Mihaylova: bistra.mihaylova(at)wecf.eu
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