Grace Amuzie
In Ajegunle, Lagos, Nigeria, plastic waste piles up in the community while some families cannot find the cash for school fees.
But Plastics for Fees, pioneered by Isrina Schools, sees that waste differently.
Families who cannot afford fees in cash bring recyclable plastic to school instead. The plastic is weighed, valued, and turned into school fee credits through recycling partners. Children stay in school, and the community gets cleaner at the same time.
So far, over 5 tons of plastic have been recycled and more than 200 children have benefited directly. The venture now plans to grow through a recycling sensitisation campaign across Ajegunle, bringing more families into the model.
We are proud to announce Plastics for Fees as one of the finalists of Solve for Change Season 1 Round 2. 🎉
This is what it looks like when plastic waste stops being a problem and starts keeping kids in class.