End the Stigma, provide psychological support for children of CPR in schools – Deo

The Founder of the Pacific Recycling Foundation, Mr. Amitesh Deo has welcomed the recent comments of the Permanent Secretary for Education, Ms. Selina Kuruleca that school counsellors are essential for the mental health and emotional well-being of students, adding this support is also critically vital for the children of Collection Pillars of Recycling who continue to be stigmatized, just because their parents are involved in waste-picking.

Mr. Deo made this call following the PRF’s Mapping Exercise of the Waste Collection Sector that brought to light many cases of CPRs, and their children subjected to harassment, abuse, and mistreatment.

“We came across a CPR who was teased as a “rubbish collector” in his school because he would collect recyclables with his grandfather to help his family battle poverty. The stigma stayed with him, and he shared how he felt ashamed which could have possibly led him to not complete his education,” said Mr. Deo.

Mr. Deo said the PRF team also interviewed a single mother who is a CPR who shared that her children are continuously teased in school when she is seen with them.

“Since the dumpsite is very close to the school, her children tell her not to be at the dumpsite during school hours due to the stigma attached to her work. It’s heartbreaking to hear how a mother cannot be seen with her children just because she is involved in waste picking to put food on the table,” said the PRF Founder.

Mr. Deo said they support the call made by the Permanent Secretary for Education on the importance of factoring psychological support in schools, and in this case, this support is necessary for students who come from CPR and marginalized communities.

“We should provide our children opportunities and the space to talk about these challenges with a counsellor in school,” said Mr. Deo.

The PRF’s Founder has also confirmed that the Mapping Exercise Report will be launched in November which will provide a comprehensive database of people involved in waste picking, that will be useful for policymakers, researchers, and other stakeholders.

The PRF’s Mapping Exercise of the Waste Collection Sector in Fiji has been done in partnership with Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing (WIEGO) and through the support of partners such as Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre, Asco Motors, and Tourism Fiji.

 Meanwhile, the PRF is also planning to host a Recycling on the Go (ROG) Ambassadors Leadership Forum in February 2024 in partnership with Swire Shipping and other partners, where part of the discussions will look at the stigma faced by CPRs and student advocates and how psychological support can act as an element in addressing these issues.