The initiative is part of a CSR project to encourage education, recycling and sustainable farming in rural areas of the country.

Yara Ghana has officially launched the 10,000 School Bags Project today by distributing 800 school bags to primary school children at the Presbyterian Primary School in Pantang in the Greater Accra Region.

This is the first instalment of 10,000 school bags to be given to pupils at select rural schools in farming communities across the country.

All 10,000 school bags are produced from a total of 7,500 used Yara fertilizer sacks, and will be handed out in the northern, central and southern parts of the country throughout this year and the first quarter of 2017. Each bag will also contain a notepad and a pencil.

Yara’s main objectives of this project are to emphasise the importance of education and agriculture in rural farming communities, while promoting recycling and reusing waste. The company appreciates the need for support in rural communities through education to help increase local knowledge, and ultimately promote economic transformation through agriculture.

Additionally, ensuring a sustainable environment is a major part of any country’s growth, so recycling and responsible waste management is essential.

Yara is embarking on this project in collaboration with Trashy Bags, a Ghanaian eco-friendly organisation that produces bags and other items from plastic waste. Trashy Bags employs low income Ghanaians, mostly women, with limited job opportunities and trains them to design and produce fashionable items from discarded plastic products.

Speaking at the event, Managing Director of Yara Ghana, Mr. Sergio Godoy said “Yara is committed to ensuring that farming remains a profitable and sustainable activity for the future generations of Ghana, and education is key to achieving this aim.

 This is why we are dedicated to investing in rural education through this initiative. Through the 10,000 School Bags project we hope to emphasise the value of education, especially to farming communities, while promoting sustainability and waste management.”

The event was attended by over 2,000 people from the Pantang community including children from the school, teachers, parents and local farmers.

Special guests at the event were, the Deputy Minister of Environment, representatives from the Ministry of Education Science, Technology and Innovation, representatives from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, representative from the EPA, traditional leaders, the Regional and Municipal Directors of Education, as well as officials of Yara Ghana.

Also speaking at the event the Deputy Minister for Environment, Science Technology and Innovation Dr. Bernice Heloo said, “I am so happy that these bags are made in Ghana. Through this kind gesture a child will remain in school and might become a great person in future. Last but not least, by using recycled fertilizer bags we are protecting our environment.

 Reading a speech on behalf of the  Minister of Education Madam Florence Asi Damali  lauded the initiative, saying “Education is one of the most powerful investments in a country, because it is critical to a nation’s development – Ghana is no different.

As Minister of Education, I am pleased that Yara is focussing not only on education, but has chosen to invest in our little ones– our next generation of leaders. It is my hope that more corporations will follow Yara’s example by helping to advance rural education in Ghana.”

 The pupils expressed joy and gratitude to Yara for its generous donation.  A school prefect at the Presbyterian Primary School thanked Yaraon behalf of his colleagues, saying “we are extremely grateful to Yara for making this donation. We promise to put these bags to good use by taking our studies seriously and excelling.”