In the June of 2016, Parmita Sarma and Mazin Mukhtar founded a school named Akshar Primary School in the state of Assam. But students in the area were struggling to afford education. Therefore, the two decided to charge plastic waste from all the students instead of the school fee.
According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), they imposed a rule where each of the 110 students at the Akshar Forum school must bring 20 plastic items to school a week to attend, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Previously, attendance was totally free, but as per the Agence France-Presse, this initiative was started after a request for parents to participate in a recycling program failed. They further said that the guardians of the students also landed a helping hand to them by promising not to burn plastics.
According to the reports, the town where the school is located creates 37 tonnes of garbage a day. Parmita Sarma stated, “The use of plastics is rampant across Assam.” The founders of the project also said that the initiative is helping a lot in raising awareness among the community.
The students use their haul to make eco-bricks, plastic bottles packed with other plastic waste to make them dense enough to be used for construction. The material can be used for infrastructures like new school buildings and paths. According to the AFP, the students are also paid to make eco-bricks, which helps encourage them to come to school.
