Rotary Suriname's Eco Friendly Challenge is part of the Greener Together Project, a joint effort of all 4 Rotary Clubs in Suriname.
On february 12th 2024, after a project duration of 15 months, we had the presentations of the EcoFriendlyChallenge, in which 6 of the 15 schools participated and creatively drew attention to waste reduction and proper waste management.
A Jury consisting of Rtn.Nancy Del Pardo, Rtn.Jean Luc van Charante, and Humphrey Berggraaf evaluated the submissions of the 6 schools on 8 elements: (1) degree of elaboration, portrayal or implementation, (2) community involvement near the school, (3) visibility and measurability of results, (4) suitability for awareness program, (5) use of social media, (6) educational value, (7) innovation, and (8) scalability.
2 schools were chosen as winners, namely Imeao-1 and Havo 3, each receiving a monetary prize of USD 1,550.
The project will be evaluated in February with all stakeholders, and preparations will be made to initiate a follow-up process involving the neighborhoods of the winning schools to expand the project's reach and further improve our ecological footprint.
The kickoff for the implementation of the Greener Together project was given on November 3, 2022. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed with the Ministry of Spatial Planning and Environment, the Ministry of Education, Science, and Culture, and the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Entrepreneurship, and Technological Innovation.
The aim of the Greener Together Project is to actively contribute to improving Suriname's ecological footprint by reducing and/or replacing Single Use Plastics, and proper waste management as well as removal of plastic, aluminum, and paper waste in a public-private partnership with the government.
In this partnership, 15 schools and the 3 mentioned ministries are involved, with project funding provided by 12 companies, namely:
1. Chevron (as the largest sponsor)
2. VSH United
3. Assuria Verzekeringen
4. Staatsolie Maatschappij Suriname N.V.
5. Fernandes Bottling
6. Apache Suriname
7. Köpcke Trading Suriname
8. TotalEnergies
9. Finabank N.V.
10. CKC Surmac N.V.
11. Baitali Group of Companies
12. Telesur
Waste collection bins have been placed at all 12 companies, 15 schools, and 3 Ministries, and awareness and training sessions have been provided by the Suriname Waste Management Foundation (Suwama), with waste collection and processing carried out by Amreco and Green Circle Recyclers. As part of the project, waste management plans were also developed and implemented at the schools to ensure the sustainable continuation of the project. Additionally, water coolers and bottles were provided to the schools to reduce the use of plastic bottles and encourage drinking water at school.
Service Above Self
Paramaribo, .
Suriname