Education and Environment

The educational project: waste banks in schools 

Educating children and raising their awareness is essential in the fight against plastic pollution. Through our educational program, we organize interactive workshops and establish waste banks in schools in southern Thailand. Children learn how to better manage waste and protect the oceans from plastic pollution while having fun. They also develop self-confidence, teamwork skills, and the motivation to become true “guardians of the sea.” 

Our interactive workshops

Each year, our team raises awareness about plastic pollution issues among 2,000 children through fun and creative activities. Our workshops enable the children to: 

• understand the effects of plastic pollution on the environment and the oceans,
• limit their use of single-use plastics
• take a practical role in waste sorting
• become ambassadors within their families and communities

Our program primarily serves schools with a high percentage of students from disadvantaged backgrounds, including families in need, Moken, and Burmese migrants. We often work with children in precarious situations. But thanks to frequent visits to schools, our team can identify difficult situations and respond to students’ basic needs, such as food, healthcare, and school supplies.

Waste Banks

We have established a network of Waste Banks at schools in Ranong Province. Children bring their recyclable waste to these banks and receive rewards in exchange. Our collection center then purchases the waste, and the funds raised by the school are used to finance events such as Save the Oceans Day. 

In each school, a team of student volunteers manages the bank with teacher support. Students who are most involved in the program are recognized at the end of the year during the Guardians of the Sea election. 

The project began in 2019 with the construction of the first waste bank at Khao Niwet School, which was funded by the Jan & Oscar Foundation and the Madeleine Foundation. In 2021, the Eagle Foundation (insérer lien site Fondation Eagle https://www.fondation-eagle.ch/ ) supported the construction of three new waste banks in schools on the islands of Lao, Phayam, and Sinhai, and the Madeleine Foundation supported the construction of two new waste banks in schools on the islands of Chang and Paknam. 

In Khao Niwet, the waste bank served as a catalyst for other initiatives, including the elimination of single-use plastics, the creation of a vegetable garden and chicken coop, and the organization of events that attracted the attention of the authorities. This model earned the school national recognition and a government grant and now inspires all the schools in our network.

Funding

• The Jan & Oscar Foundation has invested CHF 5,000 in this program.
• The Madeleine Foundation and the Eagle Foundation supported the program in 2019 and 2021 to fund workshops and the construction of waste banks.
• The Sukano Foundation has supported this program annually since 2023.

The Baur Foundation, the Lighthouse Foundation, and the 21 Foundation also support this program.