After attending the PTT training and conducting another clean-up activity, the Qwa Qwa Scouts and Scouters decided it was time to upcycle plastic into items that their Scouts could use. Keeping it simple, they found a way to encourage the Scouts to get more creative and be able to reuse plastics. The Scouts and Scouters cleaned up and collected different types of plastics, from bottles to plastic bags.

“The Scouts found that the different types of plastics, could be reused to make different kinds of fashion items and accessories, or could even be combined to make something that could benefit the community. They also decided that the plastic bottles collected could be donated to a community member who could trade them in for some money to help their family”, explains Scouter and SSA Youth Influencer Lebo Tsiu. “Each and every person is unique in their own way, even their designs were based on their own creativity which makes them all special. They learnt they can turn plastic into something usable and beautiful.”

“Waste is waste to some people, but to others it’s an opportunity to put bread on the table”, added Scouter Tholang Mpeke. “We had been collecting plastic bottles for recycling ♻️ and when we learnt that some people use recycling bottles to make a living, we decided to give them to a local community member. We were able to help our environment and our community”, he concludes.