Wecyclers offers an incentive-based recycling system, rewarding communities in Lagos, Nigeria, with redeemable points via SMS.
Home to more than 20 million people, Lagos lacks the necessary infrastructure to manage waste, with large plastic dumps constantly springing up around the city. Those living in slum conditions are subject to increased flooding and disease spread due to the unmanaged trash.
According to Bilikiss Abiola, a Wecyclers founder, the organisation encourages low-income communities to capture value from waste, while cleaning up neighbourhoods, which are commonly inundated with large volumes of unmanaged waste. She dubs the initiative "recycling where everybody wins".
The project incentivises citizens to recycle plastic waste by offering them text message points depending on the weight of the recyclable material they collect. These points are then exchanged for everyday items. The material is picked up for free from people's homes by the Wecyclers team and is sold to factories to be used in the manufacturing of goods.
According to Iyabo Olanrewaju, a Wecyclers customer, she and her four children go around the community collecting waste. "They encourage us to create a clean environment by collecting litter," she says.
Every three months, Wecyclers holds an event where participants can redeem their text message points for things like airtime, food and other household items. Those who bring in the most recyclable material stand to win more luxurious prizes, like clothes and books.
"We think we have a very compelling idea and we really want to grow," says Abiola. "But we need support. We would ultimately like to see a lot of Wecyclers servicing people and collecting their waste and helping recyclers make useful items from recycled material."
Share