Paper-based scholarships
Last year, students in 10 schools in Bangkok and nearby provinces donated about 2,000 kilograms of used paper to a recycling project.
To SCG Paper, which was behind the “Rak Loke, Rak Recycle with Idea Paper” (Love World, Love Recycling) project, that means a chance for underprivileged students to further their studies, while instilling recycling awareness among students in Bangkok.
The project started with stations at the 10 schools. All the used paper given by students and their parents was registered. The weight and value of the paper were translated into scholarships, with an extra donation of Bt200,000 from SCG Paper. The company then turned the paper into eco-fibre, which could be used in paper production. This helped reduce the cutting of trees. Last year, the 2,000kg of used paper saved 100 trees.
Students at the 10 schools were also encouraged to join an essay contest under the “recycling family” theme and 70 students were shortlisted for a trip to Samut Prakan. At a park, they studied the ecosystem, joined tree planting, and painted. They collected garbage that could be exchanged for fishmeal.
“I liked the natural art camp the most. It demanded creativity. Items we thought useless like dried leaves could be turned into beautiful art pieces,” said Tangmo, a Prathom 6 student from Ratchaburi. “As I returned home, I encouraged my friends and my family to do more on waste segregation.”
Khachon Somwong, another Prathom 6 student, said paper-waste segregation was a priority in his family. “I learned a lot from this camp. My favourite is the ecosystem camp” that highlights the co-existence idea.
