Meet Fatemah Alzelzela, Kuwait Regional Winner of Young Champions of the Earth, UNEP West Asia

Eco Star - trees for waste

Bringing recycling to Kuwait

Summary of Big Idea

I live and belong to the State of Kuwait, one of the richest countries in the world. Although very wealthy, my state does not have many sustainable solutions in the field of recycling - with 90 percent of waste going directly to Kuwait’s 18 growing landfills. There is also a lack of waste oriented data despite high consumption patterns. In addition to our waste-oriented challenges, Kuwait also lacks functioning green areas and has air pollution problems. My organisation, Eco Star comprises a small team focused on the efficient collection of recyclable materials (paper, plastic and metal) working hand-in-hand with recycling factories. In exchange for waste, we work hand-in-hand with major agricultural companies to give plants and trees to individuals and organisations - encouraging the increase in green cover in Kuwait.. For the last year, we have also been working on data capture - the first recent study in the field of waste collection and treatment for Kuwait. To date we have saved tons of materials from landfill and have covered more than 2,000 waste-receiving operations (including homes, schools, companies and restaurants).

Biography

My name is Fatima, founder of the Eco Star project. I am 23 years old with a major in electrical engineering and am passionate about spreading environmental awareness about waste as a resource- waste as wealth. After launching Eco Star in my final year of studies, I initially faced a lot of challenges in persuading a society that looks at environmental work with contempt, but after persevering I continue to increase awareness and interactions with this issue within Kuwait and internationally. I won first place in the projects and innovation competition We Unite in 2018 and was the youngest sustainability leader in the SEEDS Platform.

More details on Fatemah's initiative here

EcoStar Instagram here