Promising results thanks to sustainable cooperation

For years, the UNICEF Plastic Bricks project has shown that plastic waste can be a valuable raw material. With support from Van den Bosch, the humanitarian powerhouse has been using plastic bricks to build sustainable classrooms in Ivory Coast since 2019. The pilot phase of the project is now coming to an end - and the results are promising.

So far, UNICEF has built 455 classrooms from recycled plastic, turning 3,200 tonnes of plastic waste into construction material in the process. Altogether, the classrooms give 22,750 children access to high-quality education, with another 64 classrooms yet to follow. The social impact of the project is therefore at least as significant as its environmental impact.

In addition, 16 schools have been equipped with toilets and water points, contributing to improved hygiene and health. Furthermore, 16,830 teachers have been trained to enhance students' reading and writing skills, which has led to noticeable progress: in the Abidjan region, the pass rate for final exams increased by 40% in 2024.

Community collaboration

Since parents, teachers and locals are actively involved in building the classrooms and upkeep, community support is excellent, which helps to keep facilities in tip-top shape. On top of that, it helps strengthen parent involvement with their children's education.

Ready for the next step

Now that the pilot phase is nearing completion and has delivered promising results, UNICEF is working on a new approach. In the scale-up phase, the entire construction process will be handled by a single construction company from design to completion. This will enable faster and larger-scale construction without compromising on quality or sustainability.

Climate-Smart Villages in Madagascar

UNICEF is also making progress in Madagascar with its Climate-Smart Villages project. Focusing on villages in the south of the country, this programme seeks to make villages resilient against drought and climate change, which severely affect daily life and food security. As a logistics service-provider that also transports food to and from Africa, Van den Bosch cares deeply about food security in Africa and has therefore chosen to support this project too.

Climate-smart infrastructure has now been built in five villages, including water systems, solar power, internet and composting toilets. Villagers have been trained in sustainable agriculture, building toilets, financial education and eco-friendly production, e.g. making charcoal from waste. In Besakoa village, 60 trees were planted, teaching children about the importance of nature and efficient water use.

In addition to improving resilience, this approach also creates local jobs and promotes entrepreneurship. With the support of Van den Bosch and other Dutch donors, UNICEF is working towards a sustainable future for thousands of children.

Building a future - literally

Plastic Bricks and Climate-Smart Villages are living proof that innovative solutions can have a big impact. By turning waste into opportunity, UNICEF helps secure a better education, clean water and a bright future for children around the world.

Want to find out more about Van den Bosch’s commitment to sustainability? Read more here.