The IslandPlas project in São Tomé and Príncipe is led by IUCN PACO and implemented in partnership with Green Advocacy Ghana (GreenAd), with funding support from The Coca-Cola Foundation.

As part of the project’s implementation activities, the team organised a capacity-building and public sensitisation session in São Tomé on June 3, 2026, as part of activities marking World Environment Day. Held under the theme “Plastic and Our Future: Students at Liceu Nacional Learn About the IslandPlas Project,” the session provided students with valuable knowledge about plastic pollution, its impacts, and the importance of individual and collective action.

IslandPlas is an innovative initiative dedicated to reducing plastic pollution and advancing a circular economy in São Tomé and Príncipe. By strengthening systems for plastic collection, recovery, recycling, and transformation, the project is helping to create cleaner communities, protect marine and coastal ecosystems, and improve livelihoods, particularly for people working in the informal waste sector.

During the session, students learned about the objectives of the IslandPlas project, the different types of plastic, the risks associated with plastic pollution, and the dangers of burning plastic to human health and the environment. The discussion also encouraged students to reflect on how poorly managed plastic waste can find its way into beaches, rivers, and the ocean, where it can break down into microplastics that eventually enter our water, food, and even our bodies.

Through a dynamic and participatory approach, the students were encouraged to reflect on their own role as agents of change. Simple actions such as separating plastic waste, avoiding the burning of plastic, reducing the use of single-use plastics, understanding packaging symbols, and sharing environmental messages with family members and the wider community can collectively make a significant difference in protecting our environment.

The key message was clear: plastic is a problem, but each of us can be part of the solution.

At GreenAd, we believe that when children and young people are properly informed and empowered, they have the opportunity to “grow up green.” Once won over to the cause of environmental protection, young people can become powerful agents of change, inspiring their peers, influencing adults, and helping to build a healthier and more sustainable future for all.