Handover of the Expanded Banana Paper Making Factory in Mfuwe to One Planet Café Zambia

　

　

　On 1st March 2017, Mr. Hidenobu Sobashima, Ambassador of Japan to the Republic of Zambia, handed over the expanded Banana Paper Making Factory in Mfuwe to One Planet Café Zambia. This project was implemented through the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Project with the grant amounting to 102,170 US Dollars. About 50 people were present at this event including Ambassador Sobashima, Mr. Patrick Mwanawasa, Deputy Permanent Secretary for Eastern Province, Caroline Mwanza, Mambwe District Commissioner, and Mr. Billy Nkhoma, CEO, One Planet Café Zambia.

　One Planet Café Zambia has been involved in producing paper from banana stems which are usually thrown away, starting extracting fibers from banana stems in 2007, and constructing a factory in 2014, with the current employment of 23 residents here, to benefit more than 250 members of their families.
　　
　The extracted fibers having been sent to Japan and made paper there for such products as paper for business cards, One Planet Café Zambia prepared a plan to produce banana paper and paper products in Zambia and requested the Government of Japan to provide financial assistance for this purpose. The Government of Japan considered it and decided to support the expansion of the factory and procurement of necessary equipment.

　With the completion of this project, about 80 additional residents are expected to be employed to benefit about 1,000 members of their families.

　　To read the speech made by Ambassador Sobashima at this ceremony, please click here.