The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) emphasize the collective responsibility to eradicate poverty, reduce inequality, and protect the planet. Addressing these objectives requires innovative approaches to pressing challenges like plastic pollution. In Accra, this global call has inspired a youth-led initiative that not only tackles the city’s plastic waste crisis but also empowers young people to drive sustainable change.
Accra’s Mayor, Hon. Elizabeth Sackey, commended the transformative project during its launch, highlighting its potential to foster grassroots awareness and resilience. “Plastic pollution in our city is a significant issue, yet it presents an opportunity to innovate. Projects like this engage youth in solutions that build a resilient Accra while fostering change at the community level,” she noted.
The initiative, spearheaded by the Active Minds Reading Club under the Youth Recycling Project, is part of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly’s (AMA) Youth Climate Action Fund. Supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies and United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), the project equips students from basic schools with hands-on skills in plastic waste segregation, recycling, and environmental stewardship.
Educational workshops have already been conducted in several schools across the Accra Metro area, including Ayalolo 1 & 2 Junior High School and St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Girls Basic School in Korle Gonno. At the Ayalolo Cluster of Schools, students participated in practical recycling sessions led by Maama Kwao Akita, Project Lead for the Youth-Managed Recycling and Waste Reduction Program.
These workshops introduced innovative ways to transform plastic waste into reusable materials while raising awareness about its harmful impact on ecosystems and human health. “We are not only educating students about the dangers of plastic waste but also empowering them with the skills to reduce it,” said Akita. “This project is a reminder that young people are crucial partners in our fight for a cleaner and more sustainable future.”
Participants learned practical recycling techniques and sustainable habits, such as using reusable bags and containers. Custom-designed plastic receptacles, created by McKingtorch Africa, were introduced to schools to facilitate proper waste segregation.
The Head of Ayalolo School praised the initiative as a timely intervention for Accra’s growing plastic pollution problem, emphasizing its potential to inspire long-term behavioral change among students.
Beyond education, the project incorporates data collection and monitoring to inform future waste management policies. By analyzing trends in plastic waste generation, the AMA and Active Minds Reading Club aim to foster community-driven solutions to environmental challenges while advancing the city’s broader sustainability goals.
This initiative, supported by Young Reporters for the Environment and Ishara, demonstrates the power of youth partnerships in achieving meaningful change. By equipping the next generation with the knowledge and tools to combat climate challenges, the project lays the groundwork for a cleaner, greener, and more resilient Accra.
About the Youth Climate Action Fund
The Youth Climate Action Fund, facilitated by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly through international advocacy, collaborates with Bloomberg Philanthropies to provide technical and financial support to young people aged 15 to 24. This initiative funds microgrant proposals from youth, empowering them to design and implement urgent climate solutions.
Through this partnership, AMA and its collaborators aim to ignite awareness and action within communities, advancing climate goals such as decarbonization and reducing consumption-based emissions. The fund represents a significant step toward building sustainable urban environments driven by youth-led innovation and commitment.
