The United Nations Development Programmes (UNDP), In its commitment to aiding countries in the management of plastic waste and curtailing the reckless disposal of plastic waste, organized a program tagged “Deploying the power of IT-Engaged Youths in Effective Plastic Use and Waste Management.”

The event had in attendance, the representative Of UNDP, Mrs Ronke Olubamise, Engr. Adeolu Odusola the CEO of Pearls Learning Hub and Mrs Ibukun Odusola the CEO of Digital Peers International and other seasoned Facilitators.

The project was funded by UNDP through Global Environment Facility, GEF. Some of the prominent objective of the project according to the organisers is to deepen awareness of proper plastic waste management, reduce plastic waste in Abuja by 50 per cent, and build an army of youths starting with the over 400, who will be the proponents of the ideas generated through the project as influencers of proper plastic use and plastic waste management. It is expected that the youths who will be divided into 40 teams of 5 members will come up with the best idea for managing plastic waste. The team who wins gets the grand prize of 1 million naira.

Speaking at the event, the representative of the UNDP, Mrs Ronke Olubamise, submitted that the GEF is a funding mechanism for a project like this. In her words: “The GEF funds projects bigger or smaller than this in the whole world. The GEF has three Components, including full size, medium size and small grants.

“This project is supported by the small grants. The GEF believes that there are people in small communities that can also contribute positively in one way or the other to their immediate environment.”

On what birthed the idea of the project, Engr. Adeolu Odusola who also doubles as the MD of Digital Peers said: “We at Digital Peers International wrote a proposal to the Small Grant Program of the UNDP, and we got the support to put young people together to see if the best solution can come in the areas of plastic waste management.

“What we would want to see as stated in what we told the UNDP, we want to be able to reduce the amount of plastic that just lies in different parts of Abuja.

“We hope to reduce it to about half by the time we finish. And then see that the 400 youths who have gotten to this point become like an army of youths, that can disseminate the required thinking process that will bring about the much-needed change and make this project known throughout the nation.”

Ogbedu Samuel Adagba, a participant, expressed his excitement and expectations as the program kicks up. He said: “The importance of this program can not be overemphasized. We can’t overlook the impact of plastic waste on the environment and ecosystem. This opportunity of utilising ICT to curtail the menace. We’re here to participate and bring out a solution that will help Abuja, Nigeria and the world at large to manage plastic waste.

Yemi Robo, Another participant also added: “I am so curious at how the whole program will unfold. It is exciting, to gain new knowledge.”