Difficulty: Challenger (Level 2)
In the South American country of Venezuela, a local group is taking trash like old plastic and broken school furniture and turning it into desks for pupils.
El Zulia Recicla is in the city of Maracaibo. It has made 160 desks so far, using plastic waste that students collected. It fixes broken metal frames and puts in new parts with plastic pieces made in its workshop.
“We show people that the desks they use today – with damaged wood, falling apart – can be restored,” said Nicolino Bracho, the foundation’s research director.
Twenty desks were delivered to Ramon Reinoso Nunez School, where students had been sitting on the floor or using backpacks as chairs. The group aims to deliver 200 desks to 10 schools in vulnerable areas. This is part of their efforts to reduce plastic pollution.
