It was December 2020 and I suddenly realized that the year was almost over. 2020 was different in so many ways and all the COVID restrictions had not allowed me to go out and continue my e-waste work. So I thought that to close the year on a positive note, I would launch a year-end campaign and appeal to students in the UAE to join through my WeCareDXB page.
The campaign aimed to educate more students about the harmful effects of electronic waste and the proper ways of recycling it. The campaign was designed to run for a duration of 10 days from the 20th to the 30th of December.
EnviroServe, one of the leading recycling companies, supported our cause by offering certificates to the students based on the number of items collected by them. In 2-3 days, over 60 children from 15 schools reached out to me wanting to be part of the programme. I created a WhatsApp group after registering them and provided daily guidance on different aspects of electronic waste recycling.
On 30th December, all the children brought over their items and over 2000 devices were collected. I arranged a tour of the recycling facility on 16th January so the children could see the actual process of recycling. The campaign once again proved the power of youth and that teamwork can yield great results.
Riva Tulpule
10F