A Women's Month Feature
Roselyn Gomia, a 34-year-old mother and Secretary of Samahan ng mga Mamamayan ng Jacana (SMJ), has taken it upon herself to fight plastic pollution in her community. Her dedication and hard work have made her a role model for many in her community and beyond.
Despite her busy schedule of daily household chores, Roselyn wakes up every day, asking for God's blessing, and immediately sets to work on her passion project. She has planted a beautiful garden filled with various vegetables and propagates plants to sell to plant collectors. But her work doesn't stop there. Roselyn is also an Eco-Warrior, working to keep her community clean and green.
Plastic pollution is a significant challenge that Roselyn and her community face. She is ashamed when visitors come to her community and see the garbage strewn all around. In 2003, Roselyn noticed that her community had become careless about their garbage management and had started throwing plastic everywhere. It was then that she decided to take action.
Roselyn and her family started collecting plastic from the coastline in Jacana when she was only 15 years old. They would sell the collected plastic to a roving buyer who came to their community. Over time, the price of plastic has decreased from 8 pesos to 5 pesos per kilo. But this has not deterred Roselyn from her work.
In 2019, Roselyn joined the Eco Kolek project, which aims to educate and empower waste collectors to become Eco-Warriors. She was excited about the training, schooling, and waste segregation techniques that the project would offer. Through the project, she learned about the importance of discipline, patience, and segregation. She was also taught how to recycle bottles and use them as alternative vases for her plants at home.
Roselyn hopes that her work as an Eco-Warrior will help to eliminate plastic waste from the environment, and it will be segregated to be recycled or transformed into new products so that families can earn from it. She believes that self-discipline is key and encourages everyone to avoid littering and keep their trash in the right place.
Being an Eco-Warrior is a great job, and Roselyn hopes that she can receive more support from her community to learn greater things about garbage collection. She believes that the Eco Kolek project is of great help to her and her fellow Eco-Warriors, as it teaches good values and helps them become responsible citizens of their community.
Roselyn Gomia is a shining example of how one person can make a big difference in their community. Her work as an Eco-Warrior is not only helping to keep her community clean and green, but it is also setting an example for others to follow. Through her hard work and dedication, she is leading the fight against plastic pollution, and she hopes that her efforts will inspire others to join her in the fight.
