Diverting Waste by Encouraging Reuse and Recycling (DAWERR)

Diverting Waste by Encouraging Reuse and Recycling (DAWERR) is a five-year activity funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) with the goal to establish sustainable and replicable integrated solid waste diversion and valorization solutions in rural areas of Lebanon.

DAWERR in Brief

DAWERR aims to improve the social, environmental, and economic well-being of Lebanese citizens by establishing sustainable solid waste recovery and diversion programs in collaboration with municipalities throughout rural areas.

DAWERR will develop composting value chains for organic waste and strengthen existing Recycling Value Chains (RVC) for recyclable materials and solid waste diversion pilots.

Moreover, DAWERR will replicate successful pilots from Year 1 and develop integrated SWM solutions in unions and/or clusters of municipalities. 

DAWERR’s main objectives are:

Building the capacity and reinforcing the commitment of municipalities to provide improved SWM services either directly or indirectly

Empowering communities to sort at source and participate actively in various stages of the RVCs

Developing successful business models with the private sector that create green economic opportunities.

DAWERR Beneficiaries

  • Lebanese municipalities and unions or clusters of municipalities will engage their communities and establish partnerships with the private sector to put in place effective waste diversion and valorization value chains and implement sustainable integrated solid waste management solutions.  
  • Young male and female entrepreneurs from all over Lebanon will develop innovative, sustainable solutions and support existing or new solid waste management SMEs who will build their capacities and scale up their ventures and business models.  
  • Entrepreneurs, social enterprises, and local Community-Based Organizations and Community Service Organizations who are developing or growing novel and sustainable solid waste management ventures or projects will receive grants to pilot and scale their solutions, accelerate their business operations and market penetration, and grow along the Recycling Value Chains (RVCs).   

Funded by United States Agency for International Development (USAID)

Project Duration
Start Date: August 1, 2020 — End Date: July 31, 2025  

Project Budget
$15 million over 5 years

Project Partners
DAWERR is implemented by the US-based ECODIT LLC in partnership with the following Lebanese organizations: Berytech, Compost Baladi, ECODIT Liban and ELARD. 

DAWERR is designed to embrace a waste management system that is user-friendly, with programs and facilities that balance the needs of the community and the environment with long-term financial sustainability. 

Expected DAWERR Achievements

municipalities implementing sustainable solid waste recovery and diversion programs
0
clusters/unions of municipalities implementing sustainable joint integrated SWM solutions
0
people served by sustainable SWM systems
280 K
of municipal solid waste (150 Metric Tons/day) diverted away from landfills or dumps in target municipalities
0 %
social enterprises, civil society organizations, community-based organizations, and/or cooperatives established, developed, or enabled along the value chains
0
public private partnerships/business agreements established to support improved SWM
0
sustainable full-time equivalent jobs created in the RVCs
50

Berytech's Role

 Berytech’s main role will include:

  • Providing incubation and business support to Solid Waste Management (SWM) startups and SMEs to develop and scale SWM solutions.
  • Developing investment readiness programs for entrepreneurs and facilitating linkages and access to green funding mechanisms.
  • Working closely with ECODIT to develop a grant award program for entrepreneurs and select grant awardees who will receive grants directly from ECODIT.
  • Working closely with ECODIT to manage and monitor grants to entrepreneurs receiving business support, including a grant award to develop and operate the Digital Marketing Clearinghouse.
  • Mapping green funding and green support entities in Lebanon
  • Facilitating SWM Prototype development support through the Berytech Fab Lab facility when requested.
  • Conducting community outreach and mobilization to match SWM challenges and innovative solutions.
  • Developing and promoting virtual program resources and promotional platforms to share knowledge.
  • Facilitating access to potential investors, donors, and others for financing or co-financing SWM initiatives and facilities implemented by the program.

Meet The Team

Berytech is the partner of ECODIT the implementing agency assigned by USAID\Lebanon to establish sustainable and replicable integrated solid waste diversion and valorization solutions in rural areas of Lebanon.

Need more info?

Official Page: Link

If you have any questions or need information, 

please call us on 81-397 595 (DAWERR), or email us on info@dawerr.org