We are a small social center in Bauleni compound, on the outskirts of Lusaka. The main aim of our project is to develop the community through youth empowerment. We work to build the capacity of the young girls and boys in the compound and we know that there active participation will strengthen the community.

We want to transform the small room we have just built in a beautiful community center in the heart of the compound. We have already fundraised to provide English lessons, a nursery school and we have just opened the "Draw me a Lion" art center. Our philosophy is "Beauty will save the world".

Unfortunately, the environment around the center is full of waste, plastic bags, plastic bottles and all kinds of trash that stays the soil. Most of the waste is burnt and its smoke goes directly into the lungs of all the people living in the compound. We have tried to find solutions. We have organised groups to pick up the trash, but it goes back to how it was after a few days. We have tried to pay someone to collect the waste and drive them to the dumpsite, but it does not work consistently, and at the same time, waste is still burning everywhere in our streets. We believe this can change, first in and around our social center and then, if it is a success, it will be the right example for the rest of Bauleni compound!

We have noticed that no NGO or aid projects are yet supporting communities with the environment from a holistic perspective. Some focuses on women, other on children and other on water and sanitation. In Bauleni, no one focuses on the environment, on how we could improve specifically the place where we live. We want to deal with the waste on the floor, we want to deal with the air we inhale, with the water we use to wash ourselves and with the electricity we use to power the center. We want to be proud of the place where we live and the place where our kids play.