Collection Pillars of Recycling Gather in Suva for Historic VAKA Forum and Formation of National CPR Alliance

Eleven Collection Pillars of Recycling (CPR) from across the country, who are involved in the collection of recyclables from dumpsites and public places, have travelled to Suva this week to participate in the VAKA Forum with the Collection Pillars of Recycling, organised by Pacific Recycling Foundation.

The forum is made possible through PRF’s partnership with the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre, International Alliance of Waste Pickers (IAWP), and the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Protection.

The three-day forum, scheduled from 11-13 March 2026, has brought together CPR from across Fiji, including Taveuni, Labasa, Ba, Lautoka, and the Central Division. For the first time, representatives of this vital yet often overlooked sector have gathered on a national platform to share their experiences, participate in empowerment sessions, and help shape the future of their movement.

This meeting represents the initial phase in the formation of Fiji’s first National CPR Alliance, with CPR from other parts of the country expected to join the movement in the coming months as the structure expands and strengthens nationally.

The initiative also marks an important milestone toward the formation of Fiji and the Pacific region’s first National CPR Alliance, a key goal within PRF’s strategic efforts to improve recognition, dignity, and working conditions for CPR, formerly referred to as informal waste pickers.

A key component of the forum is the empowerment and leadership development sessions facilitated by the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre, which is serving as both a resource and technical partner for the initiative.

PRF recognises FWCC as a long-standing expert partner whose work in empowering vulnerable communities is critical to ensuring that CPR leaders are equipped with the knowledge, confidence, and awareness required before forming a national alliance. PRF believes that empowerment must remain a central pillar of any CPR alliance movement, and this model could serve as a blueprint for other Pacific countries seeking to establish similar alliances.

Founder of Pacific Recycling Foundation, Amitesh Deo, said the forum represents a significant step toward recognising and empowering this community.

“For more than three decades, the recycling movement in Fiji has been built on the resilience and hard work of grassroots recyclers. CPR are the backbone of this system, yet their voices have rarely been included in national discussions on waste management. This forum is about recognition, dignity, and ensuring CPR have a united voice moving forward.”

Deo added that establishing a CPR Alliance will allow CPR to advocate collectively for improved working conditions, safety, and opportunities for socio-economic development.

Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre Coordinator Shamima Ali said the sessions will focus on empowering CPR leaders by listening to their concerns and identifying ways to better support them, while also sharing messages of empowerment so they can raise their voices during times of adversity.

“This is very meaningful. This month we are celebrating International Women’s Day and Global Recycling Day. These women are the backbone of recycling, and it is really significant that we are giving them a voice,” said Ali.

International Alliance of Waste Pickers Spokesperson, Severino Lima Jr said across the world,
waste-pickers built recycling systems long before they were recognised in public policies or planning processes.

“What we are seeing in Fiji is part of a powerful global movement in which the workers who sustain recycling are organising, strengthening their leadership, and claiming their place in decision-making spaces. The formation of a National CPR Alliance is an important step toward recognition, dignity, and a collective voice for these workers. We are proud to support this process and stand in solidarity with the CPR of Fiji as they continue building a stronger movement for rights, respect, and inclusion,” said Lima Jr.

PRF’s VAKA Forum with the CPR also represents a deeply personal milestone for many of the participants. For some CPR, travelling to Suva marks their first time flying in an airplane, their first time leaving their home communities, and their first time participating in a national forum dedicated to their work.

According to Deo, these experiences are a powerful reminder that addressing Fiji’s waste management challenges must also involve recognising and uplifting the people who have been quietly sustaining the recycling system for decades.

The forum will conclude with a closing ceremony and dinner where the official announcement of the CPR Alliance is expected to take place, marking the beginning of a new chapter for CPR in Fiji.

The opening ceremony was officiated by the Minister for Information, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Lynda Tabuya.