U-Recycle Initiative Africa, an environmental Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), has announced the launch of the second edition of its flagship fellowship initiative – PlasticWize 2.0, to address the issue of plastic pollution in Nigerian universities.
This was stated in a press release issued recently and signed by its Director of Communications, Timilehin Abioye. The body stated that it intends to accomplish this by bringing about a behavioural and systematic change on student leaders and lecturers, that will have far reaching impact on the campuses.
The inaugural fellowship engaged over 2,000 students from 100 universities, deploying innovation workshops, providing training for young women, and installing “talking bins” to encourage waste reduction. Additionally, it developed a gamified learning platform and conducted research expeditions throughout Nigeria.
In 2024, PlasticWize 2.0 intensifies its focus on influencing systemic and behavioural changes to foster sustainable campus environments. Eight fellows have been chosen to assist in achieving this goal from four esteemed Nigerian universities: Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), and the University of Lagos (UNILAG).
Each university is represented by two fellows, supported by four distinguished lecturers serving as campus advisors. These advisors provide mentorship and institutional guidance to ensure the success of the fellows’ projects.
The fellowship commenced with a four-day Campus Leaders Training held in Abuja from December 11 to 14, 2024. Over 18 experts led more than 20 training sessions on topics including the circular economy, sustainable waste management, project execution, and grant writing.
Dr. Olaoluwa Ogunkunle, a lecturer from Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), lauded the organisers for the campus leaders training programme.
According to him, “This is one of the best programmes I’ve attended in recent times, considering the age range of the participants and the expected outcomes of the training.“
Adeyemo Fathiat, a student at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), revealed that as a health practitioner in the making, she has always wanted to learn more about the issue of plastic pollution.
Her desire, she added, sprang from her discovery as a nursing student that plastic posed serious health risks.
“The Campus Leaders Training swept me off my feet, and I have learnt more than I expected,” she disclosed.
In her remarks at the induction ceremony, Oluwaseyi Jesuton, Executive Director of U-recycle Initiative Africa, expressed the sincere gratitude of her organisation to all of the fellows, campus advisors, partners, speakers, and stakeholders who helped make the campus leaders training a success.
After the campus leaders’ training, campus teams returned back to their respective universities to host stakeholder workshops. These workshops engaged internal stakeholders, including restaurant managers, food and snack vendors, lecturers, student association representatives, and staff association representatives.
The focus was on consulting with the university stakeholders on suitable solutions to tackle plastic pollution on the campuses, hearing about the support they need to address plastic pollution and training them on ways to get started with tackling plastic pollution.
Mr. Princewill Nwosa, who owns a business at the University of Benin, said that the stakeholder workshop reinforced his craving to adopt a more appropriate means of disposing of waste.
“I am beginning to see the possibility of using innovative ways of encouraging students to do away with the use of single-use plastics,” he asserts.
As an organisation committed to advancing youth-led innovation to tackle plastic pollution, U-recycle Initiative Africa has outlined a series of ambitious plans- through the PlasticWize fellowship 2.0 beginning now up until 2026- geared towards reshaping the realities of plastic pollution in Africa.
