Maria Chinwalla is a Dawoodi Bohra community volunteer in Philadelphia. She led the launch of a composting initiative at her local community centre under Project Rise, working with local partners like ROT STAR Compost to divert waste from landfills. She actively involves children in her efforts, teaching them about composting during community events such as Ramadan iftars, and has helped replace single-use plastics with sustainable alternatives in her community center.
A healthy society depends on a healthy environment. Our planet’s natural resources—air, sunlight, soil, minerals, fuels, and water—are under strain. Nearly 8 billion people live on Earth today, with the UN Dispatch reporting that number will exceed 9 billion by 2037. At this pace, we are using up resources faster than they can be replenished. The urgency to conserve and act has never been greater.
The good news? Small steps can make a big difference.
Maria Chinwalla, a volunteer from the Dawoodi Bohra community of Philadelphia, demonstrates taking a simple idea into a community-wide composting initiative under the umbrella of Project Rise, the community’s global initiative to promote environmental stewardship and social responsibility. “Every day, bags of trash pile up outside. We would leave them, until the trash company collected them,” she recalls seeing around neighborhoods her day-to-day life. Wanting to reduce waste, Maria began looking for ways to repurpose it.
During Ashara Mubaraka in London, she saw how the local community sorted food, compostable tableware, and trash after every meal. “Our faith, values responsibility and respect for nature,” Maria says. “I wanted to make a difference, both inside and outside our community.”
Back home, Maria launched a composting initiative to cut down on single-use plastics. With a small team of volunteers, she sourced sustainable alternatives and educated her community. She especially encouraged children to get involved. During Ramadan iftars, children eagerly collected cups and napkins, making sure they went into compost bins instead of the trash.
“It’s a group effort. This isn’t a one-person job. I have an incredible team that helps manage the process, and together, we’ve created a real shift in behavior,” she said.
Maria has partnered with ROT STAR Compost, a woman-owned organization in Media, PA, which provides composting bins for homes and businesses. Once collected, the compost goes to Linvilla Orchards, a local farm that uses it to enrich the soil.
“In a tight-knit community, we start small, but the impact grows,” Maria reflects. “Now, composting is second nature here. That shows just how far an initiative can go.”
In just one year, the Philadelphia community diverted 430 pounds of waste from landfills—preventing greenhouse gases equal to driving 426 miles in a car. “That’s a huge impact,” Maria says proudly.
