2026 Reports

Ecopioneer Student Initiative in Freetown: Youth-Led Circular Economy Solutions

Thoronka, Jeremiah; Khanna, Manav; Kumar, Aswini

The Ecopioneer Student Initiative (ESI), launched in mid-2024 in Freetown, Sierra Leone, engages roughly 10,000 secondary school students across ten pilot schools in youth-led circular economy and waste management. Conceptualized by Jeremiah Thoronka and Kolat Inc (SL) Limited with technical and financial support from UNDP's Youth4Climate Initiative, the program is structured around two phases: training workshops on waste segregation, composting, and small-scale clean energy, followed by structured mentorship and pitch sessions in which student teams present prototypes such as polymer roofing sheets and compost briquettes. Within three months of launch, ESI recovered approximately 1.4 tons of plastics (about 20% of pilot schools' combined plastic output), diverted around 2.4 metric tons of plastic waste from informal dumpsites, and reduced drainage blockages in participating schools by 45%. Seed grants of USD 200 to USD 1,000 supported prototype scaling into micro-enterprises, generating first-cycle revenues of USD 4,500 across five funded teams, with 85% of participants reporting plans to sustain and expand their ventures. ESI operates through a collaboration of municipal authorities, national agencies, local recyclers, solar technicians, and community mentors, and aligns with Sierra Leone's 2021 Nationally Determined Contribution. To scale beyond the pilot, the authors recommend tax incentives and public procurement mandates for recycled goods, blended-finance circular economy innovation funds, and integration of CE modules into the formal school curriculum.

Keywords: circular economy, student empowerment, waste management, Freetown, entrepreneurship