Education instead of plastic crisis

A swap with positive impact on humans and nature

How do you decide, if you have to choose:

Do you buy your child something to eat or
do you buy a writing book for the school?

For many parents in Malawi, this is a question that unfortunately often arises. Because in Malawi, the average annual income is 320 USD *. This means that people live on less than $ 1 a day. Even if an small line notebook only costs 20 cents, it can not be managed with such a low income.

* Figures from 2016, German ministry for economic cooperation

What would you or your sister / girlfriend do if there were no tampons or pads available?

In rural areas of Malawi, there is no access to sanitary articles for women. Most of them could not afford it anyway. The result is that many girls do not go to school during their periods. Every missed hour is a missing building block for a better future. Because with class sizes of 80 students* individual support is not possible.

* Figures from 2016, Kindernothilfe

How would you behave if no one would collect your garbage?

Do you remember the pictures from Italy when the garbage collection went on strike there?

The kitchen waste and paper can be composted, but what would you do with all the plastic?

This question also arises for the residents in the rural areas of Malawi. There is no recycling, no refuse collection, no cleaning vehicles. However, there is plenty of plastic.

With plastic filled bottles (ecobricks)

can be exchanged for:

>>1,000 ecobricks in only 7 weeks<<

* Start of the Swap Shop: Juli 2019

Our approach: a swap

writing books and pens as well as

locally made reusable sanitary pads

10 € = 50 notebooks/ pens

50 € = 50 reusable sanitary pads

100 € = 250 notebooks/ pens + 50 pads

On average we need

50 € per week

to buy a mix of books, pens and pads.

Das Foto zeigt unsere Unterstützerin und freiwillige Helferin Carolina aus Schweden mit Gemeindemitgliedern aus Nkhata Bay, Malawi. Ecobricks werden eingetauscht gegen Stifte & Hefte. Besonders wichtig für SchülerInnen.

Become a project-parent

We are looking for project-parents:

People who donate regularly.

Choose "Bildung statt Vermüllung" (education instead of littering)

in our donation form.

With your support you enable better educational opportunities

and at the same time contribute to a cleaner planet.

I make sure that every euro arrives!

Susanne Founder of Green Spark e.V. - lives in Malawi

You may be wondering what we do with all the plastic garbage?

Ecobricks are extremely stable and are wonderful as building material. That's why they have the name "brick".

Plastic bottles are tightly filled with non-recyclable plastic waste. Everything was done right, if you can stand on a filled bottle without it being deformed.

In a few months we will start building in public spaces, for example trash bins or benches. We'll keep you up to date!

On the right you can see our friends from South Africa of Waste-ED on one of their construction projects.