Taking Charge: How ‘Waste Watch Initiatives’ Empowers Communities Through Women-Led Recycling
Imagine paying rent for a clean, safe home, only to find yourself living amid overflowing garbage, with a landlord who doesn’t care. What do you do?
If you’re Nahwera Cynthia, you don’t wait for someone else to fix the problem—you take action.
In Kakyeka, Mbarara, Uganda, Cynthia and her neighbours struggled with mounting domestic waste. When waste management authorities failed to act, she stepped in, first by organising proper disposal and later by turning waste into opportunity.
From Community Action to a Circular Economy
Cynthia began by collecting waste from her neighbours, setting up designated drop-off points, and imposing small fines on those who failed to dispose of their waste responsibly. Over two years, as she transported growing volumes of waste to the landfill, she realised the problem was bigger than disposal. The community needed a better way to manage waste.
She founded Waste Watch Initiatives, a recycling company that collects plastic waste and processes it into flakes for manufacturers.
Operating out of the Uganda Investment Authority Park, Cynthia’s commitment goes beyond waste management and recycling. Her hiring prioritises the most vulnerable: 16 single mothers and four school dropouts make up her team of 20. Waste Watch Initiatives has also set up plastic collection points in Sheema, Mbarara, Isingiro, and Ibanda, managed by women and supported by 25 vulnerable youth who collect and supply waste materials. She also mentors aspiring recyclers through an active WhatsApp community.
Her impact has been recognised—Waste Watch Initiatives was elected to chair all waste collectors in Mbarara Municipality for three consecutive years (2015–2018).
Deliberate Growth and Expansion
What started as a response to local waste mismanagement has evolved into a circular economy solution. Cynthia now plans to expand Waste Watch Initiatives across western Uganda and develop it into a value-addition facility, producing recycled products like pavers, furniture, and poles. She is actively fundraising to scale operations.
Why Investing in Women Delivers More Than Returns
Women-led businesses generate twice the revenue per dollar invested compared to male-led ones. But their impact goes beyond profits—they drive conscious hiring, environmental stewardship, and community resilience.
Nahwera Cynthia and Waste Watch Initiatives are proof that when women lead, sustainability thrives—and businesses, communities, and the planet benefit.
This case study is part of the ‘Green Economies, Powered By Women’ campaign by SHE Changes Climate to spotlight women entrepreneurs driving climate solutions in Brazil, Asia, and Africa.