Plastic Bag removal competition

Participants receive refugee made baskets as prizes

Where: Basateen, Aden & Kharaz camp, Lahij, Yemen

Why: To promote environmental awareness

The Refugee Youth were given 1 hour to collect as many plastic bags as possible. Afterwards, they were engaged in a workshop and Question and Answer session to further enhance their knowledge of the consequences related to using and abusing plastic bags

Winners were selected upon a points system, however all participants received gifts. The step is to demonstrate the possibilities of making products from the plastic collected. In order to activate participants and add a mathematical component to the competition, the youth collected bags and had them counted as 3 points for a red bag, .. 2 points for a black bag & 1 point for any other bag or litter.

Currently, there is a common joke that the national flower of Yemen is the red plastic bag seen attached to bushes around the country. The national bird, it is said, is the black plastic bag seen floating in the air. Although exaggerated, this has to stop, and the way forward is by educating the youth.