Nigerian teenage climate activists in Lagos are recycling trash into runway outfits for a “Trashion Show” to raise awareness of environmental issues.
This idea was brought to light by Chinedu Mogbo, founder of Greenfingers Wildlife Initiative, a conservation group working with young activists.
Lagos, one of Africa’s most populous cities with more than 15 million people, is said to generate at least 12,000 metric tons of waste daily.
Implementation of environmental laws is poor: The World Bank estimates that pollution kills at least 30,000 people in this city every year.
This year’s show came just as world leaders wrapped up two weeks of UN climate talks in Egypt.
In collaboration with young activists and models, the Greenfingers Wildlife Initiative says it intends to recycle as many plastics as possible, one community at a time.
It organizes regular clean-ups across communities, including beaches. The plastic litter is then used to create fabrics for the fashion show.
Draped in red plastic spoons and fabric, 16-year-old Nathaniel Edegwa said she joined this year’s edition as a model “to make a change”.
“We can see that we are all being affected by climate change, so I really want to make a difference,” she said.
