In September 2024, members of the JIBITI community showed up for one of the most significant environmental actions of the year in Ghana, joining Africa's biggest coastal clean-up at Osu Klottey Beach, Accra.
The initiative was led by Abukay Plastic Currency Payment Option (APCPO), with support from MBRC the ocean. YIF participated through its JIBITI community members, who turned out in solidarity with the clean-up as part of the DANTA initiative.
What is DANTA?
DANTA is a community initiative under the JIBITI programme that engages members in environmental stewardship, charity work, and social and climate justice causes. It is rooted in the belief that protecting the environment is inseparable from protecting the rights and futures of the communities most affected by its degradation. DANTA activities directly support both JIBITI's community goals and YIF's broader organisational mission.
What Happened
- Community mobilisation JIBITI members gathered at Osu Klottey Beach on 22 September 2024 to take part in the clean-up alongside hundreds of volunteers from across Ghana.
- Environmental education Participants gained practical knowledge about plastic pollution, its effects on coastal ecosystems, and steps individuals and communities can take to reduce their plastic footprint.
- APCPO's plastic currency model The event highlighted APCPO's innovative approach, whereby collected plastic waste is exchanged as a form of currency payment, turning environmental action into economic participation.
- Community connection Members connected with like-minded individuals and organisations working at the intersection of environment, community, and social justice.
Why It Matters
Ghana's coastal communities bear the brunt of plastic pollution, with the Osu Klottey area among the most impacted urban beaches in Accra. For YIF and the JIBITI community, showing up for this initiative was not simply about collecting litter. It was an act of solidarity with the communities most affected, and a practical demonstration that youth-led organisations have a role to play in the environmental justice movement.
Abukay Plastic Currency Payment Option (APCPO) is a sustainability initiative that incentivises plastic waste collection by treating recovered plastic as a form of currency. YIF recognises APCPO as a partner in the work of building more sustainable and just communities in Ghana.
YIF thanks APCPO, MBRC the ocean, and every JIBITI member who participated in making this action possible. This is exactly the kind of work DANTA was built for.