Recycle Waste for Literacy in Uganda

We are delighted to share a progress update on our Recycle Waste for Literacy in Uganda campaign with our GlobalGiving community. This initiative aims to train and equip literacy champions to transform plastic waste into affordable, eco-friendly literacy kits, thus linking environmental stewardship with foundational education outcomes for children in underserved Ugandan communities.

Since launching this campaign, we have witnessed encouraging community engagement with local youth, schools, and volunteers around recycling plastic waste and creating learning tools. We have so far initiated the mobilisation of our youth champions and designing of the programme whilst we continue to seek funding support to implement the project. Small scale collection of discarded plastics and creatively repurpose them into reading aids and interactive literacy materials helping children better access education while addressing a mounting waste problem has also begun.

We are focusing on building the capacities of our community-based literacy champions who play dual roles facilitators of early literacy across multiple age groups and advocates for sustainable waste practices at the grassroots level. These champions are now applying skills learned to both classroom and community settings, demonstrating how environmental action can accompany educational empowerment. We are seeing measured promising results in children’s enthusiasm for reading and participation in literacy activities supported by these recycled materials.

Despite these positive strides, critical needs remain. Plastic pollution across Uganda continues to be pervasive. Estimates suggest that hundreds of tonnes (2,500 tonnes) of plastic waste are generated daily in Kampala and neighboring regions, with recycling rates remaining exceptionally low and much waste ending up in drainage systems, wetlands, and public spaces. In Kampala alone, a significant portion of plastic never enters formal waste streams, contributing to blocked drains, health hazards, and environmental degradation.

This campaign connects these twin challenges. By tackling plastic pollution and promoting literacy, we are showing that local solutions can be innovative, community-led, and impactful.

With your continued support, we can scale trainings, reach more children in marginalised communities, and further demonstrate how recycled plastic can be a resource for literacy rather than a burden on the environment.

Please consider renewing or increasing your support today; help us expand the reach of this vital work at the intersection of education, sustainability, and community resilience.

Thank you.

Links:

• Campaign Link.
• Organization Link