Community and Family Services International (CFSI) in Zamboanga City practices zero-plastic waste in all its activities to promote waste reduction in Sama Bajau communities and contribute to the efforts in preventing negative effects on the environment.

Part of this effort is hiring local suppliers from the communities to provide snacks to the Sama Bajau learners who are beneficiaries of the Sama Bajau Education Support Project Phase Two (SBESP/2). Instead of packed cupcakes and juice, the learners are served with hot meals, local delicacies, and freshly made drinks in reusable food boxes and cups to reduce waste disposal. The reusable materials are washed properly and sanitized.

One of the local food suppliers is Ate (big sister) Dharmina, fondly called Ate Dhars by the residents and CFSI project staff. She prepares hot meals and other native delicacies for the child-learners of SBESP/2 who are undergoing tutoring sessions at home.

Ate Dhars has been a community volunteer of CFSI since its first project in Zamboanga after the armed conflict in 2013. She has been assisting in conducting community activities and has served as a leader of displaced families and Indigenous Peoples, of which she is also a part.

Ate Dhars (above) is one of the local food suppliers in the Sama Bajau community who cooks hot meals for the learners in the Sama Bajau Education Support Project Phase Two (SBESP/2).

Even for the food service of other project activities, CFSI ensures that local catering suppliers are using paper-based containers instead of non-reusable plastics or styrofoam. Food suppliers are informed of this advocacy ahead of time particularly during the procurement process.

During face-to-face activities prior to the pandemic, tarpaulins were not used for activity backdrops and for other visibility materials. Participants were also reminded of proper waste segregation and conservation of water.

The zero plastic waste initiative of CFSI in Zamboanga City hopes to influence its partners, beneficiaries, and other people on eco-friendly practices towards environmental sustainability. The small acts, when combined, will have a positive and lasting impact on the environment and to the quality of people’s lives. #