World Wide Fund for nature (WWF) in Uganda has posed yet another challenge to a number of youths to come up with innovations to curb the increasing use and pollution of the environment with plastics.
On spot are students from the three Universities of Makerere, Kyambogo and Kampala International University and teens from ten primary schools in Kawempe division. These have already confirmed their participation in the Earth Hour 2020 inter-University and Kids Innovations Challenge under the theme; Reduce Plastic & Kaveera pollution
The Earth Hour Innovations Challenge is part of this year’s Earth Hour campaign aimed at rallying Ugandans to raise their voices against plastic and Kaveera pollution and work at conserving the environment.
The challenge is aimed at seeing young people and future conservationists come up with innovations that will; find possible solutions of plastic pollution, increase youth engagement in providing possible solutions to potential threats of nature and demonstrate the application of environmental sustainability into our developments.
The challenge will also increase awareness and information sharing on plastics and environmental sustainability.
According to the WWF-Uganda Country Director David Duli (pictured), the students are expected to present mature and well-thought-out innovations all tailored to address Uganda’s chocking plastic pollution.
“We expect the young minds to come up with Well-developed holistic, cost-effective and sustainable ideas/innovations that aim at Re-using, Recycling and Reducing plastics,” he said.
In an interview with the University Students, they expressed their gratitude for the opportunity and stressed their willingness to participate and win challenge.
According to Junior Ampumuza of Kyambogo University, students will work to being crowned the Earth Hour Innovations Champions.
“I am so grateful to WWF for such an opportunity…This time, trust me, we shall win the challenge with an innovation that will transform not only Uganda but the world at large,” Said Ampumuza.
On 13th of February, WWF-Uganda was joined by other conservationists and had a one million match on the streets of Kampala. The protesting environmentalists were flagged off by the speaker of Parliament, Rabecca Kadaga. Among other dignitaries that marched was the State minister for Environment Beatrice Anywar.
Ms Anywar vowed to revive the fight against Kaveera.
“We have to give a timeline to use the kaveera that is in the market. As a country, we are not disciplined in using kaveera. You find even big shots in government just throwing away kaveera. We look forward to empowering NEMA [National Environment Management Authority] to enforce the laws against plastic bags”
Ms Anywar also lashed out at the business community, accusing them of sabotaging the whole programme and taking advantage of the situation (weakness of the law and implementation challenges) claiming it is a source of livelihood.
Last year student presented a number of innovations ranging from house roofs made out of plastic bottles to house tiles from plastic bottles, creative clothes and bags from waste and house cooling technologies.
