Monrovia — LONESTAR CELL MTN, as part of their corporate social responsibility, organized a workshop on plastic waste upcycling and recycling for 4 schools in Monrovia over 5 days. The program is the first of its kind aimed at empowering young people to understand the waste management value chain and explore the possibilities available to turn plastic waste into products and arts that have economic value.
The workshops were done in partnership with Mckingtorch Africa a social enterprise on the continent of Africa changing the narrative for Africa through turning plastic waste into a useful resource to pursue 'TRASH TO CASH' agenda.
Plastic waste can be turned into a relevant resource and handled properly to be turned into products that create economic value for women, young people and people living with disability. The pollution problem has its impact on communities as burning of plastic waste is causing respiratory problems, plastics are also choking drains and it being indiscriminately handled is leaving communities dirty causing diseases including cholera.
The objectives of the workshops included teaching students about the nature of the pollution problem, the various economic empowerment opportunities that exist for young people to start projects in the climate and environment space and available tools that they can use to transform plastic waste into relevant items that they can sell.
Makafui Awuku the founder and CEO of Mckingtorch Africa also trained the students on where and how to find grants and access them to support their projects.
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The training was done for four schools including GW Gibson High School, Demonstration Elementary School, William VS Tubman High School and Newport Junior and Senior High School. In total over 800 students benefited from the workshop over the four days.
The workshops were intentionally designed to immediately empower the students to start making an impact and included hands on sessions where each school got the opportunity to fabricate a plastic waste bottle bin and plastic waste bottles Christmas trees at the sessions. Aside the transfer of knowledge, Lonestar Cell MTN provided a startpack tool kit to all the schools to allow for the students to keep creating and innovating.
"Climate and Environment issues have taken center stage globally with a lot of attention being given to issues in the sector as our survival and sustenance of life depends on sustainable communities and cities. If our communities are not sustainable, most young people won't be able to live their dreams," said Mr. Makafui Awuku, CEOof Mckingtorch Africa. Lonestar Cell MTN as part of the sustainability of the program allowed for teachers and employees to participate in the sessions to allow them to keep coaching young people and coordinating the program after the initial sessions.
Makafui Awuku, the founder and CEO of Mckingtorch Africa is an environmentalist, an artist, an entrepreneur and innovator. His works evolve around influencing policy on climate and environment, influencing circular economy research globally as he has worked as a guest lecturer with U.S, U.K and Canadian and Ghanaian Universities. He has also run trainings in Ghana, Nigeria and Liberia. His organization innovate products from waste in Ghana and his works has been experienced by the King of England King Charles III. He has worked with and empowered over 10,000 youth on the continent of Africa since 2017.
