“Waste to Wealth” programme turns kitchen waste into income opportunities

September 16 2026

A Guyanese-led initiative is encouraging households to turn biodegradable waste into a potential source of income through a 12-week composting programme designed to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Local Government, Founder of Waste To Wealth Caribbean Inc., Rampertab Etwaria, recently presented the initiative to Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Priya Manickchand, outlining a citizen-led approach built around four actions: Separate, Divert, Compost and Monetize.

Through the programme, participating families learn to combine organic kitchen resources and cardboard in a backyard composting system to produce O.M.G.S. (Organic Miracle Garden Soil) in approximately 12 weeks. The finished compost can be used for household food production, soil regeneration or potentially sold, creating an opportunity to turn what would have been waste into a valuable resource.

Families can join through a GYD $25,000 DIY programme or a GYD $50,000 supported programme, which includes mentorship and onsite assistance throughout the composting process and towards the family’s first harvest.

The initiative also offers a pathway beyond the initial programme. Families that successfully complete their harvest and meet the required programme standards can qualify for the organisation’s Train the Trainer programme, creating an opportunity to develop skills that can be used to help educate and activate other households.

Waste To Wealth Caribbean said six educational activations have already been conducted in 2026, with 77 families in Georgetown and Linden educated and activated. The movement also introduced Guyana’s first observance of International Compost Awareness Week in May, during which 39 families were educated and activated at the National Park.

The organisation has set a target of activating 1,000 Champion Families by 2030 while working towards reducing landfill-bound waste by 25 per cent.

Etwaria said the programme is intended to change how households view the materials leaving their kitchens, shifting the focus from simply managing garbage to identifying opportunities for reuse, food production and income generation.

Waste To Wealth Caribbean is now seeking partnerships with Government, businesses, communities and development partners to expand the programme across Guyana.