Ranong Recycle for Environment has developed an educational program supported by the Jan and Oscar Foundation.
In 2019, the first waste bank was built in Ranong city at Khao Niwet School, with the support of the Madeleine Foundation. In 2021, thanks to the support of the Eagle and Madeleine foundations, 5 new waste banks have been built in public schools of Ranong province, located on the islands: Sinhai, Lao, Phayam (supported by the Eagle Foundation), Chang, and Paknam (supported by the Madeleine Foundation).
A waste bank is a place where the students can bring recyclable waste in exchange for rewards. We support the efforts of the students and the schools by collecting and purchasing the recyclable waste collected in the waste banks.
We also provide workshops on plastic pollution. In these workshops, students become aware from an early age of the risks associated with plastic pollution, the need to limit plastic production, and learn the importance of recycling. The children become ambassadors of waste recycling to their families.
In Khao Niwet school, the establishment of a waste bank has led to other projects including: removal of single-use plastics in school, planting a fruit and vegetable garden, and poultry house for egg production. Organised events at school have attracted the attention of the local authorities. We hope that a similar trickle down effect can be achieved for all schools in our waste bank network.
In 2024, we aim to maintain and expand the impact of this educational program, sponsored by Sukano, through the construction of a new waste bank at a school in Ranong. We will increase support to island schools through the strengthening of the Waste Bank network, and the expansion of the educational workshop program to new topics. The issues of species conservation and protection of local ecosystems will be integrated into our workshops.
