Beauty For Ashes: How One Boy is Turning Recycled Waste into Fashion – Barbara Nyamande

Waste to Fashion?

Absolutely!

Samuel Chayambuka from Chitekwe School is making recycling look fashionable. Using rings from empty bottles normally discarded as waste, Samuel has mastered the art of weaving these into baskets and bottle bags.

When I met Samuel I knew that he was different. Anyone could tell that his young mind was bursting with creativity. With this in sight I began to mentor him with the hope that he could find an outlet for his creativity. I’m proud to say Samuel has flourished and that his craft has led to him participating in national competitions such as the CASAF competitions.

It  truly is amazing what the power of mentorship and a holistic education can do. Such a skill would normally have gone unnoticed and unhoned.

As a Teach For Zimbabwe fellow, I know I’m  representing the organization well and this remarkable story is a win for all of us. I know I was trained to go above and beyond a syllabus. I was trained to make a difference in the lives of the children under my care. I have trained to be revolutionary.

Furthermore as TFZ continues to encourage us to advocate for climate action, I believe in tackling this through approaches which are sustainable. Converting waste to usable materials eliminates the impact on the environment.

I can say with clarity and great satisfaction that I’ve taken the first step.

Well done Samuel!