Children Recycle Their Ideas

By Bui Thi Thanh Tam – WATSAN Project Assistant of Yen Thuy ADP
 
Discarded newspapers, unwanted CDs, empty tins and bottles, and plastic straws were among the items used by 200 junior secondary school students in a design competition using recycled materials.

The contest, entitled ‘Young Creators’, was held on 19 March in Yen Thuy district of Hoa Binh province. The participants created clothes for a fashion show, crafted toys and decorated their camp using previously used items.

The goal of the competition, organised by World Vision’s Yen Thuy ADP, was to raise awareness of sanitation and environmental protection through active involvement in recycling.

“This contest is really important because it lets the students be creative and teaches them to recycle instead of just throwing things away,” commented Mr Lai Van Khanh, who is a teacher at Huu Loi Junior Secondary School. “Most of the children here don’t have proper toys as their families can’t afford them,” he continued, “so today’s taught them how to make them themselves, too.”

Yen Thuy ADP intends to work with local authorities to organise further school activities connected to environmental issues. One event planned for World Environment Day is for students to draw pictures of their surroundings to highlight local pollution for them and change their behaviour.