Progress in Ivory Coast thanks to the recycling of plastic waste

UNICEF has made great progress with the Recycling Plastic, Creating Schools programme in Ivory Coast. Thanks in part to Van den Bosch's support, 359 classrooms have now been built. As a result, 17,950 children have been provided with access to education.

The innovative programme was previously known as Plastic Bricks. The initiative was launched by UNICEF and its partners in 2019 due to the waste problem and the shortage of schools in Ivory Coast. The aim is to convert plastic waste into building materials for schools. In addition, local women are being given training on how to collect and store plastic waste safely.

The total number of classrooms built – 359 – means that 67 per cent of the total target has been achieved. As a result, the recycling plant in Abidjan has already turned 3,200 tonnes of plastic into bricks. Besides building classrooms, UNICEF has given 70 of the 135 teachers training in pedagogical and teaching skills.

Nutrition programme in the Central African Republic
UNICEF is working to improve the nutrition situation in the Central African Republic. As a logistics service-provider that also transports food to and from Africa, Van den Bosch is also linked to nutrition in Africa and has therefore been supporting this project for the past two years.

The focus of UNICEF's nutrition programme is on improving screening, treatment and education in order to tackle malnutrition. Thanks to the support of Van den Bosch and other donors, UNICEF has been able to strengthen and expand its nutritional interventions at community level. As a result, in 2023, 76 health workers have been trained in (providing information on) good nutrition for babies and young children and monitoring their growth among other things. In addition, 38,574 mothers and carers were provided with information on essential health, nutrition and hygiene habits.

Climate-Smart Villages in Madagascar
With the extension of the partnership this year, in addition to supporting Recycling Plastic, Creating Schools, the decision was made to commit to the Climate-Smart Villages programme in Madagascar. This project, which Van den Bosch has committed to for the next two years, will introduce innovative solutions to make villages more resilient to climate change.

Want to find out more about Van den Bosch’s commitment to sustainability? Read more here.