Turning waste into opportunity

What do you think of when you see the picture above? At first glance, it’s three children playing with a skipping rope. Well, we can tell you, it’s much more than you’d expect. Made from recycled plastic, it represents the creativity, environmental stewardship and practical life skills adolescents are learning through Impact Plus programming. Supported by sponsorship, Impact Plus equips young people with the tools and knowledge they need to make a successful transition into adulthood and contribute positively to their communities as empowered citizens.

On example of this is the eco club at 13-year-old Carol’s school. Part of Impact Plus, the club focuses on improving nutrition for children, teaching them how to build gardens and climate-smart agricultural skills. The garden at the school supplements daily meals and guarantees income through the sale of produce, helping to cover the cost of school supplies.

But children also learn the value of caring for the environment by recycling plastic into bangles and skipping ropes, which they use for play or sell to earn extra income. The eco club helps children see waste not as a problem, but as an opportunity. Carol has learned how to recycle plastic bottle caps into skipping ropes, combining environmental responsibility with creativity and practical skills. Her story is a powerful example of how children are learning to care for their environment while creating something useful that can be enjoyed by others or sold for extra income.

Watch the video below to hear Carol describe how she makes the ropes herself and how it helps the environment.