Turning Trash Into Classroom Treasure: Returnee Youth Volunteer Leads An Initiative In The Recycling Of Plastic Waste

Rita unlike many youth believes that the best way to talk about a problem is to provide solutions. As a return volunteer from the VSO/ICS programme in Ghana, she believes in sharing her knowledge with others and helping them realize their full potential.
As a volunteer on placement, she got the opportunity to learn how to recycle plastic water sachets from Winfred who happened to be a volunteer too on the VSO/ICS programme with her. Together with her team, they made a volleyball net for the school using the plastic water sachets. The management of plastic water sachets is a very alarming problem in Ghana hence she saw the need to help make good use of waste as a measure.
Driven by the passion to make souvenirs for her friends on placement and help address the plastic water sachets problem in her host community, she was able to develop pencil cases and a rain cost using the plastic water sachets as raw material. Acquiring her new skill, she was eager to teach others and help reduce waste in her home community.
She started her campaign dubbed, “MY SACHET PENCIL CASE” from the Christ Faith Missions cluster of schools in Frafraha a surbub of ACCRA in the greater region of Ghana. She had a 3 days intensive training programme for some members of the schools health club, taking them through how to recycle plastic water sachets into pencil cases, volleyball and football nets.

She is humbled by this experience, and quite happy as she didn’t need a lot of money or resources to solve a societal waste management problem and to make a difference in the life’s of others as well. She has also extended this to other schools as she believes there is a lot she can contribute to community irrespective of the size. “Life is about the little things, and if we do them with good intentions we will be amazed with the results, Go all out”, Rita added.
This has been the story of Rita Addah, a VSO/ICS volunteer from Ghana. You can also share with us your stories and challenges faced as a volunteer. Share with rest of the world the impact of your project and inspire other young people to immerse themselves in the spirit of volunteering.
 
Active Citizenship Diary: Telling the untold stories of Active Citizens
Story by: Sarfo Benjamin Ayine (Writer, Active Citizenship Diary)

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