schoolKIDS lead the way when it comes to recycling.
This is all thanks to the Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa’s Schools Recycling Programme.
The waste heroes from the top schools won cash prizes to upgrade their school facilities.
About 800 schools and 700 000 pupils participated in the programme this year.
According to Tsholofelo Mqhayi, head of enterprise and community development at Coca-Cola, the programme created more than 180 jobs over the past five years. She said 78 young people had been employed as recycling representatives and 36 collectors had been trained.
“The intention is to create a generation of South Africans committed to ensuring discarded waste does not end up as litter,” she said.
“Schools are the perfect partners in our quest to create a waste-free South Africa.”
Mqhayi said participating schools had committed to collect at least 1000kg of waste a month.
She said those with a monthly haul of more than two tons stand a chance of winning cash prizes to be used for the upgrading of their school.
“When you want to change behaviour, it makes sense to start with the young because they take the message of environmental stewardship home with them.
“They will spread it within their families as they grow up and become adults, driving responsible behaviour in their communities,” she said.
Mqhayi said apart from cash prizes, participating schools also earned revenue from the waste they collected.
