This project was coordinated by Temitope Onilude from Nigeria, YMCA Change Agent Cohort 5, 2022-2023.
It was part of the 2023/2024 partnership between World YMCA and Enhesa, a global leader in environmental, health, and safety intelligence, which aimed to strengthen community impact, support sustainability initiatives, and nurture the next generation of youth leaders in sustainability. All the Enhesa/World YMCA projects focussed on supporting young people and underserved communities to develop skills and capabilities that will help them on their employment journey. Enhesa employees from around the world mentored and coached YMCA Change Agents as they designed and launched innovative community projects tackling pressing social and environmental challenges in their communities.
So this is the story of Temitope’s project which in response to the growing environmental degradation caused by the indiscriminate disposal of non-biodegradable waste in Nigeria’s urban centers, especially Lagos. Every day, plastic bottles, cans, and other packaging materials are carelessly discarded—on roads, in gutters, and into drainage systems. This behavior exacerbates urban flooding, damages infrastructure, and poses major public health threats. Implemented between March 24 and May 23, 2025, the project will engage residents in Lagos Island, Ebute Metta, and Oshodi through a multimedia campaign and on-the-ground community activities. It aims to shift public attitudes and behaviors by illustrating the consequences of waste mismanagement and providing tangible alternatives for change.
Project Objectives
This project seeks to educate and mobilize the public toward responsible environmental behavior, with a focus on three core objectives: (1) raise awareness about the health, infrastructural, and economic impacts of improper waste disposal; (2) foster a culture of recycling and segregation of waste at source, particularly plastic waste; and (3) build infrastructure and knowledge for sustainable community-led waste management. Through storytelling campaigns, community clean-ups, and the creation of plastic collection points, the initiative empowers citizens—especially youth—to be active participants in protecting their environment and urban well-being
Planned Activities
To meet its goals, the project will implement a hybrid strategy that combines digital communication and in-person engagement. A flagship activity will be the production and dissemination of a multilingual video advertisement aired on national television and social media, using compelling storytelling to reveal the everyday consequences of poor waste habits. This will be complemented by a preparatory training camp for young volunteers, who will then conduct sanitation, and awareness drives in markets and residential neighborhoods. In collaboration with local authorities and businesses, the project will install visible plastic waste collection points across the three targeted communities to encourage responsible disposal and enable recycling. Stakeholder consultations will be ongoing to ensure community ownership, and the project will integrate data from the Ministry of Environment to support evidence-based messaging.
Expected Impact and Alignment with Global Goals
The project aims to directly influence the waste management behaviors of thousands of Lagos residents by raising public consciousness and facilitating access to proper disposal infrastructure. Key anticipated outcomes include increased public knowledge of proper waste practices, a measurable reduction in street littering and clogged drains, and stronger community engagement in environmental stewardship. This initiative aligns with YMCA Vision 2030 pillars of a Sustainable Planet and Community Wellbeing, as well as SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation).
Target Population
The campaign targets a wide range of stakeholders in Lagos, with a special emphasis on youth aged 13–40, including students, young workers, and unemployed youth. It also seeks to reach market vendors, local businesses, sanitation workers, and informal recyclers who interact directly with waste on a daily basis. Many of these communities face economic hardship, with the minimum wage in Nigeria at approximately ₦30,000/month (~$35), well below the cost of living in Lagos. Participants often live in overcrowded neighborhoods where poor drainage and inadequate waste infrastructure worsen health conditions. By including youth not in employment, education, or training (NEET), and engaging both rural migrants and urban residents, the project addresses socio-economic and educational inequalities in waste literacy and environmental participation.
Methodology and Implementation Strategy
The project will follow a participatory, action-oriented methodology centered on multimedia awareness and community activation. The curriculum, developed in-house with references from government environmental reports and public health data, will guide the video production and community engagement tools. Implementation phases include script development and multilingual voiceover production; volunteer training and mobilization; sanitation drives and public sensitization; and installation of waste bins. Evaluation tools include pre- and post-campaign surveys, focus groups, and social media engagement analytics. Activities will be rolled out weekly, with continuous feedback loops to refine the approach.
Sustainability, Scalability, and Replication
The campaign’s message and format are highly replicable in other Nigerian cities and across West Africa, where urban waste challenges are similar. The modular nature of the campaign—particularly its digital components—makes it easy to adapt to different linguistic, cultural, and infrastructural contexts. The video-ad and training materials can be reused or tailored for new campaigns, and partnerships formed during implementation will help sustain momentum beyond the initial phase. Moreover, the youth-led structure of the project ensures ongoing community engagement and potential for scale.
Budget and Funding Needs
To deliver this campaign effectively, the YMCA of Lagos seeks funding for video production, equipment rental, printing of educational materials, volunteer training logistics, and waste bin installation. Although the YMCA brings strong community networks and volunteer capacity, financial support from partners is essential to expand outreach and ensure quality delivery. A modest budget of $5,000 will ensure high visibility, deep community reach, and measurable behavioral change.
Organizational Capacity
The YMCA of Lagos has demonstrated experience in managing youth-led civic initiatives, including the Active Citizen Program in partnership with the British Council and Lagos State Government. With a trained volunteer base, strategic partnerships, and aclear understanding of local environmental challenges, the YMCA is well-positioned to lead impactful campaigns. By empowering young people to take ownership of their environment, the organization is fostering a culture of sustainability, responsibility, and collective care for the communities they live in.
