News - Jun 4, 2025 The Power of Theatre in Vanuatu: Spreading the Waste Management Message

In Vanuatu, local communities have been connecting with the waste management issues in a unique and relatable way with the use of theatre and song.

The Vanuatu Department of Environmental Protection and Conservation has been working with local theatre group, Wan Smolbag, to develop engaging performances (using theatre, song, video, and radio) about waste management and recycling.

By blending entertainment with education, the theatre shows and catchy songs like “no sakem toti olbaot, no sakem toti olbaot!” (don’t litter, don’t litter) have spark meaningful conversations in post-show surveys about waste management and recycling —empowering residents to understand and take action to help reduce pollution in their communities.

This innovative approach has captured the attention of audiences and created lasting impressions on how they view and manage waste in their daily lives. The group have done 18 shows so far reaching over 750 total people from Efate, Santo, and Pentecost provinces.

The tour continues for a few more weeks and we look forward to sharing more data and stories.

The shows were developed and delivered by Wan Smolbag with support by the PacWaste Plus programme.