On 7 June, a team of waste management experts will travel to The Gambia to support WasteAid in delivering Operation Sanity – a collaborative waste management and circular economy initiative with Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC).
The team of experts, made up of Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) members, will stay in The Gambia for seven days as part of a technical support visit.
The visit aims to strengthen local capacity, share practical expertise, and co-develop solutions to some of the region’s most pressing sanitation challenges.
The experts will also conduct site assessments, workshops with frontline waste management teams, and strategic planning sessions with the Dennakuwo Circular Economy Network.
The Gambia | The Smiling Coast of Africa
Often called the ‘smiling coast of Africa’ for its picturesque beaches along the Atlantic Ocean, The Gambia is the smallest mainland country in Africa, with a population of approximately 2 million. Apart from its 80-kilometre stretch of coastline, it is completely surrounded by Senegal on all other sides.
The Gambia is notable for its peanut production and export industry. The Gambia River, which runs about 320 kilometres inland and effectively divides the country, plays a central role in its geography and economy. Agriculture is a major sector, contributing around 30% to the national GDP and employing roughly 70% of the workforce.
Despite these strengths, The Gambia faces significant challenges, including widespread poverty. It ranks 174th out of 189 countries on the UN’s Human Development Index, which measures indicators such as life expectancy, education, and per capita income.
The country’s two largest urban centres are Serekunda and the capital city, Banjul. Banjul is located on an island at the mouth of the Gambia River where it meets the Atlantic, and it is home to most members of WasteAid’s Circular Economy Network.
What is WasteAid’s project in The Gambia?
WasteAid is a UK-based international non-governmental organisation (NGO) focused on improving the recovery of secondary resources and promoting the development of circular economies. The organisation runs projects in Cameroon, South Africa, and now, with support from CIWM, in The Gambia.
The Circular Economy Network (CEN) is a joint initiative by WasteAid and CIWM designed to create a membership network in The Gambia, known locally as the Dennakuwo Project.
Its goal is to connect individuals who can collaborate and support one another in building a circular economy that remains sustainable beyond the project’s lifespan.
Meet the team
Sarah Burns – Technical Delegate for WasteAid’s Visit to The Gambia
Sarah Burns is a passionate and experienced sustainability professional with over 13 years of experience in the waste and resources sector. Currently Sustainability & Engagement Manager at Bristol Waste Company, Sarah leads city-wide initiatives that promote circular economy thinking, waste reduction, and community engagement – driving impactful environmental change across Bristol.
Her career spans technical consultancy, project delivery, and community engagement roles in public, private, and third-sector organisations. From coordinating the nationwide Community RePaint Network – diverting hundreds of thousands of litres of paint from waste – to delivering Bristol’s award-winning Waste Nothing Challenge, Sarah brings a rare combination of strategic insight and hands-on experience.
Sarah’s work consistently focuses on empowering communities, fostering collaboration, and using data and research to inform innovative solutions. She has developed environmental impact tools, implemented behaviour change campaigns, and delivered sustainability strategies that shape how organisations approach resource use.
A strong advocate for inclusive environmental action, Sarah brings valuable expertise in engagement, monitoring, and sustainability planning to the WasteAid delegation. She is excited to collaborate with partners in The Gambia to explore locally led approaches to sustainable waste management.
👉 Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn.
Neil Thompson – Technical Delegate for WasteAid’s Visit to The Gambia
Neil Thompson is a Chartered Waste Manager and Chartered Engineer with over a decade of experience delivering waste, sustainability, and environmental infrastructure projects across the UK and internationally. Currently a Senior Associate in Waste and Resource Management at Mott MacDonald, Neil is delivering global initiatives to improve waste management, including a major programme to improve healthcare waste systems in West Africa.
With a background in both the public and private sectors – including Veolia, Joint Waste Solutions, and engineering roles with CH2M Hill and Atkins – Neil brings a wealth of technical expertise, project leadership, and strategic insight to the delegation. His experience spans complex contract management, behaviour change, innovation, and sustainable operations, with a passion for delivering long-term environmental impact.
Neil has worked in humanitarian contexts across Iraq and South Sudan, managing emergency WASH responses for displaced populations, and understands the importance of context-driven, inclusive solutions. His work consistently combines engineering rigour with community-focused outcomes.
Neil is proud to support WasteAid and CIWM on this technical visit to The Gambia, sharing expertise and building partnerships to advance sustainable waste management in collaboration with local stakeholders.
👉 Connect with Neil on LinkedIn.
John Paterson – Technical Delegate for WasteAid’s Visit to The Gambia
John Paterson is a Chartered Environmentalist and Chartered Waste Manager with over 30 years experience leading a range of environmental & place-based services across local government, the NHS and now as CEO of Scottish Canals. With a career rooted in waste, water, and environmental management, John was SEPA’s Project Manager for the development of Scotland’s first national waste strategy, laying the groundwork for today’s zero waste and circular economy policies. He subsequently implemented significant waste collection system changes for Scotland’s Capital City and beyond.
John has since held senior leadership roles across local government and the NHS, including Chief Officer for Waste and Environmental Services in Falkirk and Renfrewshire Councils, before serving nearly a decade as Executive Director of Property & Facilities for NHS Lanarkshire then NHS Tayside Health Boards. His work spanned strategic infrastructure planning, service transformation, climate resilience, and the delivery of major capital projects – including leading sustainability efforts across some of Scotland’s largest healthcare estates.
Now serving as Chief Executive of Scottish Canals, John leads the stewardship of Scotland’s historic waterway infrastructure while advancing environmental, community wellbeing, tourism and biodiversity goals. He continues to champion progressive sustainability practices and collaborative innovation across sectors.
John brings extensive insight into policy development, interface with government, C Suite leadership, system transformation, and public service delivery to the WasteAid delegation. His wealth of experience will be instrumental in supporting local partners in The Gambia as they develop practical, inclusive waste solutions.
👉 Connect with John on LinkedIn.
Bonni Jee – CIWM Early Careers Delegate on WasteAid’s Technical Visit to The Gambia
Bonni Jee is an environmental professional with a strong background in local authority waste and recycling services, climate policy, and sustainable infrastructure. Currently Principal Advisor for Waste and Recycling at the Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE), Bonni supports local government officers across the UK by sharing best practices, policy insight, and technical advice.
Previously a consultant at Mott MacDonald, Bonni delivered waste strategy and infrastructure projects for local authorities and major clients in the UK and abroad. His expertise spans recycling and materials recovery, food waste, behavioural change, and the circular economy. His career started at the frontline of local government where he was a Recycling Advisor at Kirklees Council.
Bonni holds an MPhil in Environmental Policy from the University of Cambridge and is an Associate Member of the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM), where he also serves as an Early Careers Ambassador. He is representing CIWM’s Early Careers network on this technical visit to The Gambia, supporting WasteAid’s Operation Sanity initiative in partnership with Kanifing Municipal Council.
Bonni is passionate about inclusive, locally driven solutions to global waste challenges and looks forward to sharing knowledge and learning from WasteAid’s innovative work on the ground.
👉 Follow Bonni’s journey on LinkedIn.
