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The world's longest unbroken sea beach is located in the southernmost part of Bangladesh, and the plastic bags, straws, and cups that are tossed aside at cafes and parks end up everywhere, from the bellies of turtles to the shores of isolated islands.
It's no wonder, then, that nearly a million Rohingya refugees living in refugee camps in the area have decided to do something about it.
The International Organization for Migration and its partner, Dushtha Shasthya Kendra, started a waste collection volunteer group in Cox's Bazar in April, and since then, they've collected more than 24,000 pounds of plastic bags, as well as non-biodegradable waste such as plastic, polyethylene, and other packaging, and fed them into a machine that melts the small pieces of plastic into noodles, reports the IOM.
The plastic is then used to make learning materials and other products, such as letter blocks for children and slabs of pavement for children's latrines.
The recycling plant is part of the IOM's Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) program, and it's part of a larger effort to reduce, reuse, and recycling of waste produced by refugees in the camp, which is the largest in the world, per the IOM.
Selected Grant News Headlines
A customized collection of grant news from foundations and the federal government from around the Web.
"Having a purposeful job actually does transform someone's life," says Edwin Walsh, who runs a social enterprise in Australia called Assembled Threads. "You actually are moving someone from...more
Foundation: Community Foundation of Southern Indiana
"When you see the kids interacting and them building communitythat's what it is," says Camp Quality Kentuckiana executive director Eddie Bobbitt. "It's bigger than fishing and pie fights." The...more
Foundation: Hawaii Community Foundation
If you're in your 60s or older and looking for adult day care in Maui, you're in luck. The nonprofit Maui Adult Day Care Centers lost its West Maui Center in the Lahaina fire last August, but...more
A Missouri State University student has won an Emmy for his behind-the-scenes look at a Springfield zoo, the Springfield News-Leader reports. Jon Mabee taught film and television students to film...more
When Bill Bone was hit by a car while riding his bike in Florida last year, he didn't know it at the time, but the accident would prove to be the final nail in his coffin. His wrongful death suit...more
"We are committed to being an industry leader in creating a culture where every individual is valued, respected, and can fully contribute their best selves." So says Hillary Wirtz, the senior...more
Foundation: Rockefeller Foundation
John Kerry has a new gig, and it's not as high-profile as his old one, but he's still making headlines for it. The former secretary of state announced Tuesday that he'll serve as honorary chair...more
It's been a decade since a group of nations agreed to work together to combat climate change, and on Tuesday, the Climate Technology Center and Network (CTCN) celebrated its 10th anniversary with a...more
"The future of our nation hinges upon its young,educated, and socially conscious demographic," State Bank of India CEOjay Prakash says in a press release. Prakash is referring to the roughly 1...more
A Connecticut nonprofit that provides after-school programs for at-risk girls is getting a big boost from a local business group. The Chamber of Commerce of Eastern CT Foundation has awarded the...more
Civic Engagement News from...
Community Foundation of Southern Indiana
Hawaii Community Foundation
Rockefeller Foundation
Community Foundation of Western North Carolina
Community Foundation of Broward
Changemakers
Luzerne Foundation
California Community Foundation
San Diego Foundation
Gates Foundation
Social Entrepreneurship
Spotlight
Calgary Social Enterprise Offers High-Tech Services by People with Autism
Meticulon, a project of Autism Calgary Association in partnership with the federal government and the Sinneave Family Foundation, operates as a social enterprise that renders high-tech services provided by people with autism, leveraging their natural abilities at requiring attention to detail, repetition, and sequencing.
