A 24-year-old from the village of Lotofaga has secured a spot as a research student at the Toyo University in Japan where she will pursue her Master's Degree in Waste Management. 

Bhavana Sanele Ta'avili, who currently works as a waste planning and policy officer in the Division of Environment and Conservation within the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, will commence her studies in Japan in September this year. 

Her securing of a Japan government scholarship was confirmed in a statement released by the office of Japan International Cooperation Agency (J.I.C.A.) to the media on Tuesday afternoon. 

J.I.C.A. congratulates Ms. Ta'avili for getting the scholarship as she becomes the first Samoan to be the recipient of the “Clean Cities Scholarship Program", under the auspices of JICA long-term training, Knowledge Co-Creation Program (KCCP).

"JICA has been in partnership with MNRE for more than two decades to establish initiatives and best practices to tackle solid waste in Samoa through JICA’s Technical Cooperation Project for Promotion of Regional Initiative on Solid Waste Management (J-PRISM)," the statement from J.I.C.A. reads. 

"Ms. Sanele Taavili being a new officer in her division have learned so much through active participation in the project activities; user pay system survey and consultation, waste audits, and waste collection monitoring.

According to the scholarship recipient, waste management is an issue in Samoa and the opportunity to study in Japan will provide her the experience and exposer to improve waste management system in Samoa. 

She said she is particularly interested to learn about waste segregation and methods to increase recycling services. 

“Samoa is just on the starting stage of segregation and we are promoting it in the communities through our waste audits and awareness programs,” Ms. Ta'avili said.

In terms of career plan after her scholarship, Ms. Sanele said she would like to return to MNRE and utilise the knowledge obtained from Japan.

“Improve waste management existing laws and regulations, formulate a waste segregation system to minimise rate of waste disposal at Tafaigata Landfill, and to formulate a professional strong team to lead waste management in Samoa,” she said.

The “Clean Cities Scholarship Program" is a Master Degree Scholarship Program provided by JICA in collaboration with a partner university of JICA Development Studies Program in Japan. Special programs will be offered to improve participants’ practical abilities, develop networks, and deepen understanding of Japanese Solid Waste Management.

The objective of the Program is to strengthen capacity of potential future leaders who will engage in Solid Waste Management in national/central government and/or cities of the target countries. The graduates of the program are expected to lead improvement of SWM of their countries/cities to promote appropriate SWM and thereby contribute to achievement of the SDGs.