Pupils of AME Zion School brainstorming during a quiz
Vivo Energy Ghana has entered into partnership with Environment 360, a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), to roll out a comprehensive recycling programme dubbed, CyClean.
The project is targeted at basic schools in James Town, Chorkor and Lartebiokorshie, all in Greater Accra Region.
The programme, which was rolled out in about 10 schools last year, seeks to equip the beneficiary schools to adopt innovative means of recycling plastic and paper waste in a bid to reduce waste within the environment and landfills.
The children are taught how to segregate their waste with the help of volunteers from Environment 360.
Additionally, the students are also equipped with skills through a series of creative activities such as rubbish sorting and production of pencil, pen and flower vases out of plastic materials.
Their intellectual prowess on green technology and recycling is also tested through research, debates and quizzes.
To give the school-children a better insight into recycling, the students also embarked on an excursion to the Accra Faecal Treatment Plant where they were taken through the various stages in the recycling of faecal waste.
At the Vivo Energy Ghana head office, waste segregation bins have been placed at strategic positions to aid waste segregation at source and workplace.
Managing Director of Vivo Energy Ghana, Ebenezer Faulkner, said Vivo Energy Ghana recognizes the importance of protecting the environment and was committed to the schools and workplace recycling programme aimed at promoting environmental sustainability.
It was therefore not surprising that CyClean emerged as the winning project in the Vivo Energy Reputation Builders Award category in Amsterdam earlier this year.
“We believe in environmental sustainability and one of the ways of championing this cause is through this recycling initiative. Instilling the habit of recycling in people, particularly children, can change perceptions about the environment and create the next generation of green leaders. Children are powerful change agents that can impact their communities.
He added that the company owed it a responsibility to educate local communities and help them adopt behaviours that will safeguard the environment.
So far, over 5,000 school-children from Nii Kojo Ababio Basic School, A.M.E Zion Cluster of schools, St Georges Anglican School and Korle Gonno R/C Boys School have benefitted from the programme.
The programme will be expanded to include more schools to promote environmental sustainability.