Chilenje Market is one of Lusaka’s busiest trading hubs, which is full of activity, colour, and daily hustle. Like many markets, it also faces ongoing challenges with waste management. To help improve hygiene, safety, and overall cleanliness, a four-day Solid Waste Management (SWM) training was carried out with traders across different zones of the market.

What the Training Covered:
Traders learned simple, practical skills such as:

• How to separate and store waste correctly
• Everyday health risks linked to poor waste handling
• Easy recycling and value-addition opportunities
• How to coordinate better with collectors

The sessions were interactive, with demonstrations and open discussions that encouraged honesty and practical thinking.

What Traders Highlighted:
The conversations revealed the real issues faced in the market: Some waste collectors dispose illegally, weakening trust Collection fees feel too high for small traders, Bins are costly and often stolen, Waste pickups are irregular, pushing traders to hire informal collectors, Blocked drainages disrupt business, Small-scale traders produce little waste but are expected to manage multiple bins, Collectors and security staff also need refresher training 

Important points we discovered: 
Across the four days, one thing stood out: traders actually want a cleaner market; they just need fair systems and the right support.

Success will require:
Consistent waste collection, Continuous training for traders and collectors, and Strong leadership from market committees

Therefore, with the enthusiasm shown during this training, Chilenje Market is well-positioned to become a model for clean, organised, and health-conscious trading environments, proving that when communities work together, even small changes make big impact.