RUG - Climate Innovation Non-Profit

RUG – Empower I Innovate I Sustain

Creating local solutions to the waste problems in Ghana.

The Country

Ghana. A wandering gaze. The heavy tropical sun is burning on your skin. Trotros and taxis on the road are hooting for passengers, leaving a slight smell of petrol in the air. The streets are crowded with people. Women are balancing silver trays on their heads carrying pyramids of pure water, while having their babies safely tied onto their back. Children are giggling and romping around in every corner you are looking to. People are moving to the vibrant rhythms of Djembe drums and West African beats, flanked by the gentle sound of women pounding the traditional Fufu dish in big wooden troughs. Buzzy marketplaces provide colorful Kente fabrics and fruits. And among all this beauty, there is one thing always disturbing your view. Like a black spot on your retina you cannot get rid off. On the streets, at the markets and in the gutters. It is here. It is there. It is everywhere. Plastic waste.

The Challenge

Massive amounts of improperly treated plastic waste are extensively contaminating landscapes, especially in densely populated urban areas. Streets, open spaces, rivers and beaches are polluted by plastic bags and bottles, drinking water sachets and colorful packaging materials. This pollution poses a threat to the local population in various ways including: clogged drains; increased flood risks; outburst of diseases.

The open burning of plastic waste releases hazardous toxins into the atmosphere which results in air pollution. The dumping of plastics at beaches also pollutes the water and threatens the entire marine ecosystem. Unsecured landfill sites also contribute to air pollution, and potential contamination of underground water.

This plastic pollution menace can largely be attributed to the lack of awareness on the negative effects of plastic pollution on biodiversity and climate change, as well as inadequate appropriate waste management infrastructure across the country. In addition, there are inadequate governmental structures in place to support innovation and entrepreneurship in the waste management sector.

Our Approach

Our activities at RUG revolve around three core pillars: Entrepreneurship and Business Support; Awareness and Behavior Change, Research and Innovation. See an overview of our current activities under these pillars here.

We believe that local problems are best solved with local people involved. As such, our activities primarily empower young entrepreneurs, women, and pupils in communities across the country.