Description
The project intends to promote a sustainable socio-economic model that allows, through trainings and educational programs addressing circular economy and fostering recycling-based culture, a reduction and mitigation of environmental impacts and an increase in the resources available in the target areas. These resources will be reinvested in the school system of the Municipality of Thiès and the Municipality of Ngaparou, in Senegal, leading to a significant improvement in the quality of life of the local community as a whole.

Objectives
• Boosting an awareness-raising process among the inhabitants of Thiès and Ngaparou regarding environmental issues.
• Promoting the direct involvement and active participation of the young generations in the adoption of sustainable development models as key-actors in fostering an environmental culture.
• Strengthening the school education system through the introduction of educational modules on waste management and in particular on recycling practices.

Type of activities
• Training of students in the 4 schools involved through practical/theoretical activities and visits to the “Développement Matériel Synthétique (DMS)“ company spurring the adoption of eco-sustainable methodologies for plastic recycling.
• Introduction of devices for the collection of plastic and its storage based on hygiene and safety principles.
• Exploitation of the plastics collected in the ecological devices installed in the schools by reselling it to DMS which operates in the plastics recycling and reprocessing sector.

Results achieved
• Reinforced knowledge of environmental sustainability issues that stimulates the introduction of virtuous processes in waste management system.
• Installed ecological devices allowing the collection of plastic within the schools and in the neighbourhood.
• Defined the conditions for the purchase of the plastic collected in the 4 schools involved in the initiative with the aim of generating small profit for the sustainability of the schools.