While the world continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, Ghanaians were reminded of the direct relationship between people and earth. In light of the challenges of these times, it has become evident how necessary innovating solutions for good sanitation, hygiene and a stable climate are in order to enjoy good health.
In 2020, Michelle Jubilee Gonzalez, an actress turned social entrepreneur, founded Paragon Institute of Innovation (PII) to champion and cultivate the next generation of problem solvers and social innovators, creating active catalysts of change.
Finding like-minded allies is instrumental to building a world where we all have a chance to thrive.
That’s why it is even more exciting when global alliances are formed such as the one recently established by the California-based nonprofit, Paragon Institute of Innovation and Ghanaian social enterprise, Nelplast Eco Ghana Limited, a Ghanaian company that turns waste plastic bags, water bags, plastic film and containers into pavement slabs, tiles, and other reusable elements.
PII has a mission of supporting and scaling Research and Development projects in the field of renewable energy, improved methods of recycling, sustainable manufacturing, and economic development, and recently awarded Nelplast Eco Ghana Limited with the PII Economic & Environmental Development Grant, and the Economic Development Grant for Ghanaian Women.
The grants awarded to Nelplast Eco bring to light the old age African proverb “If you educate a man, you educate an individual, but if you educate a woman, you educate a family (nation)”.
According to Project Drawdown, “Education also shores up resilience and equips girls and women to face the impacts of climate change. They can be more effective stewards of food, soil, trees, and water, even as nature’s cycles change”.
If we are to limit global heating to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, then educating girls is one of the best tools we have.
According to non-profit group Project Drawdown, investing in universal education and family planning in low- and middle-income countries could reduce emissions by 85.42 gigatons by 2050.
PII supports the Zero Waste agenda of Nelplast Eco and is currently seeking additional social investors to support the opening of a branch in the United States of America.
This new branch will make room for the integration of technology from their global partners, Nelplast Eco Ghana Ltd, while functioning as an incubator for various programs to help catalyze new innovations for sustainability and economic development in the area.
This facility will also serve as a community hub that will amplify solutions for sustainability, recycling (and up-cycling), educational programs and general community empowerment and engagement.
The more branches that can be set up to divert plastic waste, support local communities, address the housing crisis, and ultimately help the people and the planet, the better.
We can all be a part of the solution by supporting organizations that synergize projects to conserve life, save our environment, create opportunities for everyone, and address global climate change.
Source: Ghana Web
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