The Packaging Producer Responsibility Organization (PAKPRO) and the Kenya Scouts Association (KSA) have launched a national school program in an effort to foster recycling in schools.
The ‘Tuwezeshe’ initiative aims to turn environmental education into practical action on waste segregation, recycling and packaging recovery.
One of the key elements is Adopt-a-Bin, which will see PAKPRO establish 600 segregated recycling bins in 150 schools all over the country.
The initiative is aimed at giving learners access to infrastructure to separate recyclable materials and incorporate recycling into everyday school life.
Tuwezeshe initiative will undertake a quarterly take-back program focused on paper and cartons, materials commonly generated through day-to-day school activities, including used exercise books, examination papers and packaging.
The recovered material will be diverted through PAKPRO’s recovery network for productive utilisation.
“The initiative is aimed at driving behavior change early, with the Scouts’ wide network of young people helping to take environmental action to schools, homes and communities,” said PAKPRO CEO Joyce Gachugi-Waweru.
“Tuwezeshe is about giving young minds early training to positively shift behavior change within society around waste management,” she added.
KSA Chief Commissioner Victor Radido intimated that the partnership is an opportunity for Scouts to put their values of service and leadership into tangible environmental action.
“Tuwezeshe provides our Scouts an important platform to lead by example and advocate for responsible waste management,” said Radido.
This comes as Kenya is implementing the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Regulations, 2024 that extends the responsibility of producers for packaging beyond the point of sale.
PAKPRO states that the framework can only deliver sustainable impact if consumers are aware of how to correctly separate, handle and recover packaging.
Tuwezeshe therefore aims to help learners see packaging as a resource and not waste if it is clean, separated and recovered.
PAKPRO is using the partnership with scouts to implement its expertise in packaging recovery and the circular economy, while KSA contributes its nationwide youth network.
Together, the two sides hope to make schools centers of environmental learning and action, while extending responsible waste practices into communities.
