Young People Innovating Solutions to Plastic Waste in Rwanda

In the districts of Gasabo, Kicukiro, Musanze and Rusizi in Rwanda, Scouts are learning about the harmful effect of plastics on the environment and taking action to reduce plastic pollution in their communities. From community awareness campaigns to plastic waste collection drives and making diverse handicrafts from plastic waste, the Scouts are building their environmental leadership capacities through the Plastic Tide Turners Challenge. 

The Éléphant Actif Scout Group in Gasabo District are using plastic bottles to grow green-leafy vegetables, carrots, and fruits on a piece of land donated by one of the parents. They also meet with the parents regularly to talk to them about plastic pollution and the need to remove plastic waste from the environment. 

In Kicukiro District, the Pigeon Amusant Scout Group take time during their weekend meetings at the local Catholic Church to undertake Plastic Tide Turners Challenge activities. Each Scout is encouraged to bring with them plastic bottles and paper bags at every meeting, which they use to make assorted items. They involve their community by facilitating them to collect plastic waste from the environment, teaching them the effects of plastics and demonstrating to them how to make many items from the plastic waste collected. 

About two-hour drive from Kigali City in the district of Musanze, the Jaguar Courageux Scout Group at ESIR Technical Secondary School has managed to integrate the plastic waste awareness culture in their school. On the last Friday of the month, they host a Plastic Tide Turners awareness session with other students where they discuss ideas on how to address plastic pollution in the school and its surroundings. Every three months, they organize a community plastic collection drive where they go around talking to community members about the need to remove plastic from the environment and collect plastic waste which they bring back to the school to make their artifacts and for collection by a local recycling company.

Within the school compound they have installed plastic waste collection bins made from repurposed plastic cooking oil containers and buckets in which they encourage the students and teachers to put all plastic waste. Every two days they go around to collect the waste and store it for use in making various items. So far, they have produced many items such as chairs, bracelets, side bags for girls, skipping ropes, clothesline, toothbrush holder, decorative items, tree planters and flowerpots, children’s toy cars, and even nails. The group also manages to sell some of the items to help students who come to school without pocket money.

Baraka Rome, a Rover Scout at Cobra Combattant Scout Group in Nkombo Sector in Rusizi District explains that guided by Scout law number three “A Scout’s duty is to be useful and to help others,” the purpose of their project is to make clean their environment from plastics that litter it. Like Jaquar Courageux they have also made bags in different sizes, sandals, ornaments such as decorative watches and eyewear, hats, skipping ropes, kids playing toys, and medals.

Across the country, the Plastic Tide Turners Challenge is inspiring a new generation of environmental champions and innovators who are learning and crafting low-scale solutions to one of the world most pressing environmental challenge of plastic waste pollution. To strengthen this, the Rwanda Scouts Association has integrated the challenge into its Youth Programme and made it available to Scouts countrywide with many leaders also trained to support the young people to carry out the activities. 

To learn more about how you too can become a champion for the protection of the environment from plastic pollution, visit the Plastic Tide Turners Challenge website.

The project was implemented thanks to the longstanding support and partnership of the UN Environment. The Plastic Tide Turners Challenge empowers young people to find solutions to one of the biggest issues of our time: plastic pollution. It is an opportunity for them to learn about the impacts of plastic and how to help turn the tide on this issue in their community and beyond.