In Borogani, waste is collected separately

Situated along the Ialpugel River, the community aspires to become an attraction for tourists visiting the south of the country. 

The first step was the elimination of five unauthorised dumps in the village and two more outside it. This initiative has become a reality thanks to the project “Sustainable and resilient communities through women empowerment”, funded by Sweden and implemented by UNDP. Unauthorised dumps not only spoil the appearance of the settlement but are also a source of environmental pollution. 

Waste bins have been installed in the village for selective waste collection. In addition, the village households received two containers – black for household waste and yellow for recyclables.

Villagers should separate their waste and dispose of it in the appropriate bin. 

“We tried to tackle the problem of environmental pollution in a number of ways. Firstly, we encouraged locals to separate their waste, and secondly, we mobilised hundreds of villagers with whom we collected garbage from the Ialpugel River. In addition, we planted thousands of saplings around the village. Well, what can I say? Borogani's appearance has changed. People no longer throw their waste anywhere, and the village is getting cleaner every day,” says Mayor Elena Savițki.

Since caring for the environment starts with education, teachers and educators from the village attended a seminar on the negative impact of waste and the importance and rules of selective waste collection. They then conducted information sessions for more than 600 children and teenagers. 

“I sincerely believe it is wrong that environmental issues are being left in the background. Why? Because there is no point in having an economically prosperous settlement if its inhabitants breathe polluted air or drink unhealthy water,” says Elena Savițki.

Anastasia Talai lives right on the bank of the Ialpugel River. She recalls how in the past people used to spend their free time on the green grass – except that many of them would neglect to pick up their packaging and other waste. Few people today dare to litter.

“Everyone, without exception, came to clean up the village. It was a very good activity that brought us together as a community. We realised then that we are all responsible for the appearance of the place we live in. Besides, I'm glad we set a positive example for our children. I have a school-aged son. He's very responsible when it comes to sorting waste. He is the one who most often draws my attention to the fact that we have taken it upon ourselves to separate the waste we produce,” says Anastasia.

The assistance provided by UNDP and Sweden contributed to the development of the municipal solid waste management service from Borogani village, created with the support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), within the MĂ IMPLIC Project.

With support from UNDP and Sweden, 30 communities in Moldova received grants of up to US$16,000 for initiatives aimed at building community resilience to climate change, reducing disaster risk promoting local sustainable development.