٠٠:٠٣:٤٥Enactus students at the Federal University of Technology Akure in Nigeria are spearheading a voluntary project aimed at addressing excess waste, specifically flex banners, by upcycling them into durable, waterproof bags.
Footage shows the volunteer team cutting down banners from the streets, cleaning them and then sewing them into different styles.
"The project started out with two focuses; to create a better environment by recycling plastic waste, majorly banners, and the second one is to provide school bags for children that cannot afford conventional school bags," explained one of the project co-founders, Mercy Agbeleye.
"We turned it into a business so that we could sustain the project and we make bags for university students and people around," she added.
Although the students sometimes use other materials to construct the upcycled bags, another project co-founder, Ifeoluwa David Oluwole, says that they use banners as they are 'not biodegradable' and burning them 'releases toxic gasses into the air.'
"Through our project, we've been able to re-purpose these banners wastes into something useful for the environment and the society," she continued.
Enactus is a global non-profit organisation that operates through a network of chapters based at universities around the world. The organisation aims to empower students to make a positive impact on the world through entrepreneurial initiatives and community development projects.
Bagging a better future! Nigerian youth fight for environmental sustainability by upcycling waste plastic banners into chic bags
Enactus students at the Federal University of Technology Akure in Nigeria are spearheading a voluntary project aimed at addressing excess waste, specifically flex banners, by upcycling them into durable, waterproof bags.
Footage shows the volunteer team cutting down banners from the streets, cleaning them and then sewing them into different styles.
"The project started out with two focuses; to create a better environment by recycling plastic waste, majorly banners, and the second one is to provide school bags for children that cannot afford conventional school bags," explained one of the project co-founders, Mercy Agbeleye.
"We turned it into a business so that we could sustain the project and we make bags for university students and people around," she added.
Although the students sometimes use other materials to construct the upcycled bags, another project co-founder, Ifeoluwa David Oluwole, says that they use banners as they are 'not biodegradable' and burning them 'releases toxic gasses into the air.'
"Through our project, we've been able to re-purpose these banners wastes into something useful for the environment and the society," she continued.
Enactus is a global non-profit organisation that operates through a network of chapters based at universities around the world. The organisation aims to empower students to make a positive impact on the world through entrepreneurial initiatives and community development projects.
Enactus students at the Federal University of Technology Akure in Nigeria are spearheading a voluntary project aimed at addressing excess waste, specifically flex banners, by upcycling them into durable, waterproof bags.
Footage shows the volunteer team cutting down banners from the streets, cleaning them and then sewing them into different styles.
"The project started out with two focuses; to create a better environment by recycling plastic waste, majorly banners, and the second one is to provide school bags for children that cannot afford conventional school bags," explained one of the project co-founders, Mercy Agbeleye.
"We turned it into a business so that we could sustain the project and we make bags for university students and people around," she added.
Although the students sometimes use other materials to construct the upcycled bags, another project co-founder, Ifeoluwa David Oluwole, says that they use banners as they are 'not biodegradable' and burning them 'releases toxic gasses into the air.'
"Through our project, we've been able to re-purpose these banners wastes into something useful for the environment and the society," she continued.
Enactus is a global non-profit organisation that operates through a network of chapters based at universities around the world. The organisation aims to empower students to make a positive impact on the world through entrepreneurial initiatives and community development projects.