Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Background: In a dense neighbourhood of Ojo, Lagos, household waste is collected mixed, drains are blocked by plastic, and the private sector participation (PSP) operator often arrives late, so residents burn refuse or tip it into open spaces. Young people who pick and sell recyclables earn irregular income and are treated as a nuisance, not as part of the waste system. Objective: This programme aimed to convert household waste into income and savings through a youth-led waste bank designed with an asset-based community development approach. Methods: The programme ran from September 2025 to February 2026 with 126 households and a team of 32 young residents. Activities followed five stages: asset mapping, joint design of the waste bank, sorting and safety training, waste bank operation with composting, and joint evaluation. Data came from before and after questionnaires, waste bank records, savings passbooks, focus group discussions, and interviews. Results: Households sorting waste at source rose from 18 (14.3 percent) to 97 (77.0 percent). Sorted recyclables collected each month rose from 1,840 kg to 7,360 kg, and monthly waste bank income rose from NGN 186,000 to NGN 842,000. Conclusion and Implications: Starting from the skills of waste pickers, youth groups, and market women made the waste bank work where collection campaigns had failed. The model offers councils a low-cost route to cleaner streets and steadier youth income.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Adebayo et al. (2026) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: