Like many urban centres in the majority world, Ghana's streets are filled with litter. Instead of just hiring people to clean the streets, however, a social enterprise called Recycle Not a Waste Initiative (RECNOWA) has come with a solution that also treats a social problem.
RECNOWA hires teams of Ghanian street youth to clean up public spaces, offering them fair employment opportunities while also giving them the chance to have a positive impact on the local environment. What's more, the social business then upcycles some of the waste items -- plastics in particular -- to create handmade accessories and fashion items.
They have also launched the Garbage Bank Initiative, which encourages students to bring recyclable items from home in exchange for points that can be traded for money or educational items like school bags. In addition, students are taught how to upcycle these items into art and functional items.
RECNOWA adheres to the principles of Ethical Consumerism, Social Entrepreneurship and Poverty Alleviation, Fair Trade and being Carbon Zero through carbon offsetting. All of these initiatives are explained in further detail on their website.
Contact Information
RECNOWA website
Upcycling to Fight Poverty
The 'Recycle Not a Waste Initiative' Empowers Ghanian Street Youth
Trend Themes
1. Upcycling - The upcycling of waste items into handmade accessories and fashion items by RECNOWA presents opportunities for innovation in sustainable fashion and accessories businesses.
2. Garbage Bank Initiative - RECNOWA's 'Garbage Bank Initiative' can be adapted by waste management, recycling, and educational institutions as an innovative way to incentivize recycling and upcycling for students.
3. Fair Employment - Fair employment opportunities for street youth can be explored by businesses in industries such as retail and hospitality, providing opportunities for disruptive innovation in ethical and socially conscious employment practices.
Industry Implications
1. Sustainable Fashion and Accessories - RECNOWA's upcycling initiatives present opportunities for sustainable fashion and accessories businesses to innovate and incorporate ethical and socially conscious practices into their supply chains.
2. Waste Management and Recycling - RECNOWA's waste management and recycling initiatives can inspire innovation in waste management and recycling industries, especially in the development of similar grassroots initiatives that encourage community involvement in waste reduction.
3. Retail and Hospitality - RECNOWA's fair employment practices for street youth can influence innovation in retail and hospitality industries towards implementing ethical and socially conscious employment practices, particularly in the hiring and training of disadvantaged youth.