Last updated 10 months ago
Accra faces severe plastic pollution affecting health and environment. Schools generate much waste but lack systems and motivation for recycling, worsening the city’s plastic crisis.
Organise an incentivized program to teach students to recycle, creating positive impact, reducing waste, promoting sustainable, eco-friendly habits
This is the total amount allocated to EcoRewards: Motivating Plastic Recycling in Accra Schools.
Please provide your proposal title
EcoRewards: Motivating Plastic Recycling in Accra Schools
Enter the amount of funding you are requesting in ADA
60000
Please specify how many months you expect your project to last
6
Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated
No
Original Language
en
What is the problem you want to solve?
Accra faces severe plastic pollution affecting health and environment. Schools generate much waste but lack systems and motivation for recycling, worsening the city’s plastic crisis.
Supporting links
Does your project have any dependencies on other organizations, technical or otherwise?
No
Describe any dependencies or write 'No dependencies'
No dependencies
Will your project's outputs be fully open source?
Yes
License and Additional Information
All code, smart contracts, educational materials, and data templates will be published under the MIT license on GitHub for public use and replication.
Please choose the most relevant theme and tag related to the outcomes of your proposal
Environment
Who you’re targeting, how you’ll reach them, and why this matters for Cardano.
The main target is students, school staff, and community groups—through partnerships within selected schools, environmental clubs, and local education authorities; engagement will include workshops and community events .
Aligns with Cardano’s mission to drive blockchain adoption and education across Africa through social impact. It supports Cardano’s ecosystem growth by demonstrating blockchain-based incentives to solve real-world problems.
This fits within Cardano’s broader initiatives that focus on education, empowerment, and sustainable development across the continent.
Provide a list of key activities of your project?
Key activities -
Education & Awareness Campaigns
Conduct workshops, presentations, and interactive sessions in schools to educate students and staff on plastic pollutiion.
Distribution of Recycling Infrastructure
Provide segregation bins and collection points.
Implementation of Reward System
Develop and manage an incentivization program.
Plastic Collection & Processing
Organize regular collection drives.
Community Engagement - Support youth groups to lead recycling initiatives .
Monitoring, Reporting &Feedback
Track recycling volumes and participation metrics.
What are your success metrics?
Volume of Plastic Collected and Recycled;
Student Participation Rate;
Number of Schools Participating;
Frequency of Plastic Collection Drives;
Reward Redemption Rate;
Waste Segregation Accuracy;
Environmental Impact: Estimated reduction in plastic pollution and associated benefits.
Feedback and Satisfaction Scores: Positive responses from students, staff, and community on program effectiveness.
Tracking these metrics ensures measurable impact, continuous improvement, and accountability to stakeholders.
Please describe your proposed solution and how it addresses the problem
Solution Overview: EcoRewards – Motivating Plastic Recycling in Accra Schools
Background
Plastic pollution remains one of Accra’s major environmental challenges, severely impacting public health, drainage systems, and ecosystems. Schools generate significant volumes of plastic waste daily but currently lack effective mechanisms and incentives to recycle. The EcoRewards project proposes an innovative, community-driven approach to empower students in 5 basic and junior high schools to actively participate in plastic recycling through an incentivized program that fosters sustainable habits and environmental stewardship.
Goals
Reduce plastic waste accumulation in schools by introducing effective, incentivized recycling systems.
Educate and engage students, teachers, and school communities on the importance of plastic waste management.
Establish a scalable, replicable model for plastic recycling that can be expanded nationwide.
Foster long-term behavioral change towards eco-friendly practices among Ghanaian youth.
Core Solution Components
Incentivized Recycling Program
The heart of EcoRewards is a transparent rewards system that motivates students to collect and properly segregate plastic waste. Students earn eco-points based on the amount and quality of plastic they recycle, which can be exchanged for educational materials, school supplies, or other value-added rewards. This incentivization approach taps into motivational psychology to drive repeated positive actions.
Educational and Awareness Campaigns
EcoRewards integrates environmental education into school curricula and extracurricular activities. Through interactive workshops, seminars, and multimedia tools, students and school personnel learn about plastic pollution impacts, recycling processes, and the broader benefits of sustainability, contextualized for Accra’s urban environment.
Provision of Recycling Infrastructure
Schools will be equipped with clearly marked segregation bins for plastic waste collection, placed strategically in classrooms, cafeterias, and common areas. Training for school staff ensures proper maintenance and prevents contamination, improving the quality of collected materials for recycling.
Regular Collection Drives and Partnerships
The project will collaborate with local waste management companies and recyclers to organize routine collection drives, ensuring timely removal of segregated plastics for processing. These partnerships strengthen the waste value chain and provide practical recycling solutions aligned with municipal systems.
Community and School Club Engagement
Support for environmental clubs, school leadership, and local youth groups empowers students as green champions, increasing peer-led motivation and driving community-wide environmental responsibility. Competitions and recognition programs foster healthy rivalry and collective achievement.
Digital Tracking and Reporting
Utilizing simple digital tools or mobile apps, EcoRewards will track recycling volumes, participation rates, and reward redemptions. Data insights will guide ongoing improvements and demonstrate transparency, building accountability to schools, parents, funders, and the wider community.
Scaling and Sustainability
After successful pilot implementations, EcoRewards aims to expand across Accra and eventually into other regions. Sustainable funding models, including public-private partnerships and community contributions, will support long-term operations and growth.
Implementation Roadmap
Phase 1: Pilot Launch in Select Schools
Engage 5 schools for initial deployment. Focus on infrastructure setup, training, and baseline data collection.
Phase 2: Program Refinement and Expansion
Analyze pilot data, optimize reward schemes and educational content, extend to additional schools.
Phase 3: Full-Scale Rollout and Sustainability Measures
Institutionalize EcoRewards in educational frameworks, establish lasting partnerships, and incorporate local government collaboration.
Expected Benefits
Significant reduction in plastic waste mismanagement in participating schools.
Enhanced environmental knowledge and eco-conscious behavior among youth.
Stronger community networks promoting sustainability.
Increased demand and supply chain for recycled plastic material, contributing to Ghana’s circular economy.
Positive brand association and ecosystem growth within the Cardano community through socially impactful blockchain-aligned projects.
Why EcoRewards Matters to Cardano
EcoRewards represents a real-world, scalable blockchain-enabled initiative aligned with Cardano’s commitment to social impact and education in Africa. By integrating blockchain principles for transparent tracking of rewards and waste collection, the project enhances trust and visibility in environmental efforts. It inspires youth engagement within the Cardano ecosystem, extending blockchain benefits beyond finance into climate action and education—core pillars of sustainable development.
Please define the positive impact your project will have on the wider Cardano community
The "EcoRewards: Motivating Plastic Recycling in Accra Schools" project will have several positive impacts on the larger Cardano community:
Showcasing Cardano’s Environmental Leadership:
This project aligns with Cardano’s commitment to sustainable, eco-friendly blockchain solutions through its proof-of-stake consensus, which drastically lowers energy usage. It highlights how Cardano can support impactful environmental initiatives, reinforcing the platform’s green credentials.
Expanding Real-World Use Cases on Cardano:
By integrating blockchain for tracking, incentivizing, and reporting plastic recycling efforts, EcoRewards demonstrates Cardano’s ability to solve tangible social and ecological problems in Africa, promoting broader practical adoption.
Community Growth and Education:
Engaging schools and youth builds a knowledgeable user base and future ecosystem contributors aware of blockchain’s benefits. This deepens Cardano’s grassroots presence and fosters community-driven innovation.
Transparency and Trust through Blockchain:
The project uses Cardano’s secure and immutable ledger to record recycling data and rewards transparently, increasing trust among participants and stakeholders, which strengthens the overall Cardano ecosystem’s credibility.
Inspiring Additional Sustainability Projects:
It contributes to a growing portfolio of Cardano-powered environmental and social impact projects that can inspire further initiatives, collaborations, and attract developers focused on blockchain for good.
Supporting Cardano’s ESG and UN SDG Goals:
The project advances Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aligned with Cardano’s vision for blockchain technology’s role in global sustainability.
In essence, EcoRewards enhances Cardano’s reputation as a leading sustainable blockchain platform, attracts new users and developers, and promotes the creation of socially and environmentally impactful solutions within the ecosystem.
What is your capability to deliver your project with high levels of trust and accountability? How do you intend to validate if your approach is feasible?
Our team’s capability to deliver this project is rooted in both our experience with decentralised technologies and our commitment to community-driven initiatives. This experience in the Cardano ecosystem which span over 4 years, particularly through the participation of previous projects aimed at promoting blockchain for transparency and accountability within professional bodies, equips us with the technical knowledge necessary to implement decentralised solutions in the events domain
Approach Validation and Feasibility - The plan is to validate the feasibility of our approach through a phased implementation and continuous community engagement
Stakeholder Involvement: Throughout the project, we will involve stakeholders that is staff and students of selected schools, and continuous feedback will be gathered through focus group discussions.
Partnerships and Mentorship: Partnering with industry experts in both blockchain technology and reclcying management will provide us with critical insights and mentorship, ensuring that our approach remains feasible and adaptable.
Existing Capabilities and Suitability
Technical Expertise in Blockchain: Having already initiated blockchain projects within professional communities, we have the necessary expertise to integrate decentralized technologies like Cardano into everyday real use cases like reclcying.
Community-Driven Mindset: Our work with underprivileged communities and young individuals, by offering free web3/blockchain training.
Processes to Manage Funds Properly - To ensure transparency and accountability in fund management, we will adhere to the following processes:
Budget Transparency: A detailed budget will be shared with stakeholders and kept up-to-date throughout the project. All financial transactions, including expenditures and funding allocations, will be documented and made publicly available.
Milestone Title
Planning, Stakeholder Engagement & Design (Month 1)
Milestone Outputs
Detailed project plan including goals, timelines, and resource allocation
Stakeholder engagement reports (schools, parents, community groups)
Design of education and awareness materials and initial incentive program structure
Acceptance Criteria
Project plan approved by core stakeholders - selected schools
Documentation of stakeholder engagement sessions with feedback incorporated
Sign-off on educational and incentivization strategy designs
Evidence of Completion
Approved project plan document
Stakeholder meeting minutes and feedback forms
Samples or prototypes of education materials and reward program documentation
Delivery Month
1
Cost
12000
Progress
20 %
Milestone Title
Education & Awareness Campaign Development (Month 2-3)
Milestone Outputs
Finalized curriculum-integrated educational content
Campaign materials including posters, videos, and presentations
Training workshops completed for school staff and environmental club leaders and youth leaders
Acceptance Criteria
Delivery of educational content and materials to all pilot schools
Positive participant feedback from initial workshops (>80% satisfaction)
Confirmation of school leaders’ readiness to lead recycling efforts
Evidence of Completion
Distribution logs and campaign asset repository
Workshop attendance sheets and feedback survey results
Training certification or attendance records for school ambassadors
Delivery Month
2
Cost
18000
Progress
40 %
Milestone Title
Incentivized Program Implementation & Collection Drives (Month 4-5)
Milestone Outputs
Placement of segregation bins and collection points in all pilot schools
Training sessions for maintenance and operational procedures with school staff
Setup of digital tracking system for waste collection and rewards management
Acceptance Criteria
All pilot schools equipped with functional recycling infrastructure
Staff demonstrate competence in managing waste segregation and system usage
Tracking system tested and operational with initial data input
Evidence of Completion
Site photos of installed infrastructure
Training attendance and assessment records
System access logs and initial data reports
Delivery Month
2
Cost
21000
Progress
80 %
Milestone Title
Monitoring, Reporting, Evaluation & Project Close-Out (Month 6)
Milestone Outputs
Launch of reward distribution mechanisms and mobile app or platform
Execution of multiple plastic collection drives in participating schools
Collection and processing of recycling data for analysis
Acceptance Criteria
Minimum 70% active student participation in initial drives
Successful rewards distribution correlated to verified recycling activity
Accurate and timely collection data available in reporting system
Evidence of Completion
Participation logs and reward redemption records
Digital transaction records and app analytics
Reports summarizing collected volumes and participant engagement
Delivery Month
1
Cost
9000
Progress
100 %
Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources
Activity ADA
Planning, Stakeholder Engagement & Design 12000
Education & Awareness; Campaign Development 18000
Implementation of Incentive Program & Collection Drives 21000
Monitoring, Reporting, Evaluation & Scaling 9000
Total 60000
Rationale:
Milestones 2 and 3 receive the largest shares due to infrastructure rollout, training, and running incentivized collection activities which are resource-intensive.
Early milestones focus on planning and education material development.
Final milestone emphasizes monitoring, evaluation, transparent reporting, and preparation for scale/sustainability.
How does the cost of the project represent value for the Cardano ecosystem?
The combination of direct cost savings in waste management, substantial environmental and social benefits, educational impact, and ecosystem innovation demonstrates that EcoRewards delivers compelling value for money and represents an effective, scalable solution to plastic pollution challenges in Accra. The project is worth its cost and offers value for money based on the following points:
Terms and Conditions:
Yes
Afia Owusu - Team Lead is an active Cardano and Catalyst Community Member since Fund 6, Coordinator of Catalyst Africa Town Hall (CATH) and Catalyst Africa School. Afia has been a CA since F7 and a vCA in F8. Afia hosted the Intersect Constitutional workshop and was voted as a delegate for Accra, Ghana to be part of the team to rectify the Cardano Constitution in 2004. Afia has over 25 years of experience across project management and community development within her ecosystem. Currently exploring new areas of sustainable development including web3/blockchain education. Her interest is to educate and create awareness in communities to improve livelihood options among local people especially the youth. https://www.linkedin.com/in/afia-asamoa-04911816/
Ezekiel Donkor - The programs manager is Software Developer Has a Bachelor of Science in Animal Biology and Conservation Science from the University of Ghana. Currently works as a software developer. Loves to challenge himself to work on new emerging technologies and tools, including blockchain and web3. Currently exploring the Cardano blockchain and all the possible applications in order to build tools and products to contribute to the community at large. https://github.com/yaw595
Awura Asamoa is a graduate in Accounting and currently working with a web3 development company. She is a speaker on blockchain technology and an active member of Cardano Ecosystem. She has extensive knowledge about Catalyst and its opportunities. She has gone through the catalyst funding since fund 6 and was a community reviewer in funds 6,7,8,9,10,11 and 12. She believes that if people are able to utilize the opportunities given to them through Catalyst, they will be able to afford better lifestyles and survive. She was an active participant in Town Hall meetings and now very active as well on the Cardano twitter spaces. Telegram: @AwuraOwusu
Efua Edufua Abekah is an emerging professional with a background in Economics and French, and a growing interest in blockchain technology. She serves as Assistant Coordinator at the Accra Resource Centre, where she manages operations, drives community engagement, and handles general admin work. With experience in research, administration, and cross-cultural communication, she is passionate about using her administrative expertise to explore innovative blockchain applications that support community development and foster international collaboration.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/efua-edufua-abekah/
In addition to our core team, we have a skilled network of individuals trained through our programs. This talent pool can be engaged flexibly as needed, providing us with the capacity to scale project delivery efficiently while maintaining quality and expertise.