Waste to wealth: Wecyclers launches recycling program in Lagos slums

by Doyin Jaiyesimi

Unmanaged waste torments cities across the developing world and Wecyclers plans to turn the tide in Nigeria with the launch of the first-ever recycling service in slum communities. This pilot recycling program will take place in Itire, Lagos, from August through December 2012.  The program will allow Wecyclers test the SMS platform and low-cost collection infrastructure to determine how to run the Wecyclers’ service sustainably so that recycling services can be expanded to other communities in Lagos, and beyond.

Wecyclers is giving households a chance to recycle by providing convenient collection services and offering incentives to participate. Households that recycle with Wecyclers receive redeemable points via SMS in exchange for the materials that they recycle. At quarterly redemption events, subscriber households will be able to redeem their points for basic goods like food items, soap, and cell phone credit. Wecyclers will take the material that they collect and sell it to local recyclers. Low-income communities in Lagos will also have a chance to capture value from waste and clean up their neighborhoods through incentive-based recycling.

You can support the launch by checking out the StartSomeGood campaign and sharing it with your networks: http://bit.ly/Nmv6JT

Good stuff.

One comment

  1. Brilliant Stuff! This is Social Enterprise like no other! Keep them coming & Keep it up!

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