Waste to wealth: JISEPA, UNICEF engage 200 schoolchildren in Jigawa

From Mika’il Tsoho, Dutse

In a major push toward environmental sustainability and climate action, the Jigawa State Environmental Protection Agency (JISEPA), with support from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has engaged 200 schoolchildren in an innovative plastic waste upcycling program.
The Managing Director of JISEPA, Sanitarian Adamu Sabo, announced the initiative on Wednesday during the formal launch of the program in the Birnin-Kudu Local Government Area of Jigawa State.
Sabo explained that the project aligns directly with the 12-point agenda of Governor Malam Umar Namadi’s administration, which prioritizes environmental sustainability and green growth across the state.
The initiative is currently being pioneered across two targeted local government areas Birnin-Kudu and Sule-Tankarkar.
A total of ten primary and junior secondary schools were carefully selected from each of these two local governments to participate in the initial pilot stage.
According to the JISEPA boss, the overarching target of the training is to build environmental sustainability, foster grassroots wealth creation, promote proper sanitation, and instill a culture of self-reliance in children from an early age.
Mitigating Climate and Flood Risks
Speaking at the launch, UNICEF WASH Specialist, Dr. Uba Lawan highlighted that the partnership is a strategic response to the pressing climate change challenges confronting Jigawa State.
He noted that the accumulation of plastic debris frequently blocks drainage systems, significantly worsening the seasonal flooding that devastates parts of the state. By training children to collect and upcycle these plastics, JISEPA and UNICEF intend to turn an ecological threat into an economic opportunity.
“The program will help in addressing flood challenges caused by plastic waste, as JISEPA will help in the collection and recycling of this waste into wealth.
“Engaging these schoolchildren ensures they grow up with both ecological awareness and practical, self-dependent skills,” Dr. Lawan stated
In his remarks, the Executive Chairman of the Jigawa State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Professor Haruna Musa, who was represented by the Director of Training, Alhaji Ibrahim Idi Hashim, highly commended JISEPA and UNICEF for the timely intervention, pledging the board’s continuous support for practical environmental education.