Liverpool Secondary School’s computer room will receive a much needed facelift after winning the iLanga E-Waste Management inter-schools e-waste collection project.

In an inspiring display of environmental stewardship and community spirit, Liverpool, Etwatwa High and Ephes Mamkeli Secondary were tasked with collecting, among others, redundant phones, laptops, printers and washing machines.

Liverpool won the competition after collecting 2 382.5kg of e-waste over four months, ahead of Etwatwa (1 270.5kg) and Ephes Mamkeli Secondary (283kg).

The three schools also competed in curated categories that highlighted creativity, sustainability and teamwork, which was showcased during a prize-giving ceremony at Etwatwa on February 13.

“I’m so proud of this project because now I can see that there is an opportunity for the learners. They won’t have a problem looking for jobs. They have gained an education in e-waste management,” said iLanga E-Waste Management director Maria Rakgalakane.

One of Liverpool’s teachers who spearheaded the project, Tawanda Nyika, said the learners’ commitment to environmental responsibility, consistent participation and strong community mobilisation not only reflected their dedication but also the power of youth-driven initiatives.

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“We are proud of the effort of all the teachers and learners for collecting the e-waste. We joined this project with the understanding that it’s important to protect our environment and that e-waste should be recycled responsibly.

“We went out into the community to gather as much e-waste as we could possibly collect and we are still on the drive to continue with this project. We are happy to have received the price,” said Nyika.

Held over four months in partnership with the EPR Waste Association of SA (eWASA) and Lantern Learning, the initiative aimed to not only educate the Actonville and Wattville communities about e-waste but also foster a long-term culture of recycling among young people.

“We saw that young people don’t have enough knowledge about e-waste collection. Whatever they come across, be it damaged batteries, chargers or televisions, they just throw it on landfills. They don’t know how harmful they are to the environment. I was so proud that when we approached the schools, they all participated,” Rakgakalane said.

Lindelwe Hoho, eWASA project management officer, added that they ae proud of the impact the project has had on everyone involved.

“We are extremely proud of not only the work that Ilanga did in convening the project, but the schools, learners and teachers. It’s a true community effort.

“What we saw today was not just an event. It was months of work that led to changed mindsets, behaviours and just the information the learners received, which we saw in the essays and poems presented today, that they know a lot more about e-waste, how to handle and properly dispose of it,” she said.

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