In partnership with Expo 2020, the Haiti Environment Education Program seeks to excite, educate and reward children for being agents of change in their community. Plastic Bank Ambassadors regularly visit local schools to promote environmental education to the next generation of leaders in Haiti. Students learn simple practices to keep the Earth healthy, various types of plastic, and play interactive games related to sustainability. Collection bins have been placed in every campus that gets visited, so students have the opportunity to practice recycling at school. The children have acknowledged how recycling has been made fun and even taught their parents how to be expert recyclers!

The Haiti Environmental Education Program rewards students with school tuition and rechargeable led lights for their dedication to environmental sustainability. The future is so promising because these shining stars are leading the way.

Ester Norte, (with flag) a grandmother of 29, began recovering recyclables at the age of 9 and continues to do so at the age of 65. Having no formal education, recovering recyclables serves as a livelihood for Ester and her family. She has endured many challenges in Naga City, where plastic pollution and poverty are major concerns. Despite those challenges, she has been a champion for change in her community for over four decades.

For the last 14 years, Ester has been the president of an alliance of plastic collectors in Naga City, Camarines Sur, Philippines, known as the Balatas-Kadamay Association. The organization was formed to instill a sense of community among its few founding members.

Made Jingga was our first customer since we launch in Indonesia in October 2018. He is a passionate and dedicated entrepreneur who utilizes his earned income from plastic collection to support his agribusiness. Prior to our Collection Branch opening up, we approach Made and explain to him how he can exchange plastic for resources like food, medicine, and cleaning products. Our team also informed him of how his partnership could generate a profound impact on the environment. He got extremely enthusiastic about theopportunity, and since then, dedicated himself to being a part of our commitment to ending the plastic crisis.

We can’t thank Made enough for his support!