Executive Summary
The International School of Educational Excellence (ISEE) in Bamenda, North West Cameroon became a circular campus through the GWC solution, making them a reference in quality education.
In two years, ISEE achieved the following remarkable results:
- Eliminated 100 tons of organic waste.
- Reduced monthly energy cost by 80%.
- Improved their canteen offers and teaching program.
- Increased crop yield and quality by 30-60%.
- Raised 240 kids in sustainable waste management technics.
- Created a sustainable revenue stream.
The Challenge: A Family Struggling with Rural Sustainability
ISEE Profile
- Location: Mile3 Bamenda
- Waste Generation: 200kg waste generated daily from canteen, kitchen, poultry, pigsty, fish farming, and garden.
Critical Problems Faced
Environmental Crisis
- No established waste collection system leading to illegal dumping.
- 150kg of daily organic waste ending up in landfill.
- Contaminated Campus, a source of diseases.
- Declining soil health from chemical fertilizer overuse.
Economic Burden
- Weekly cooking energy costs: 7,000-10,000 XAF.
- Cantine limited offers.
- Annual fertilizer and pesticide expenses: 150,000-300,000 XAF.
- Rising fertilizer costs post-COVID-19 reducing crop production capacity.
Knowledge Gap
- Limited understanding of sustainable waste management by both administration members and students.
- Lack of organic farming expertise.
- No sustainable waste management course integrated into the curriculum.
- No awareness of waste-to-resource conversion possibilities.
The Solution: Green Waste Center
What Changed Everything
ISEE’s director, M. Sengka, discovered the GWC solution at the Israel-Cameroon Seminar in Yaounde in 2023. He decided to implement the technology, which converts organic waste into valuable resources, on the ISEE campus.
The Technology in Action
- Biodigester System: Processes 50 tons of organic waste annually.
- Daily Output: 50 liters of high-quality organic fertilizer.
- Energy Production: Sufficient biogas to cover 80% of the canteen cooking needs.
- Waste Processing: 100% of ISEE’s organic waste recycled.
Remarkable Results
Financial Impact
| Category | Before GWC (XAF) | After GWC (XAF) | Annual Savings (XAF) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cooking Energy | 364 000 – 520 000 xaf | 72 800-104 000 | 291 200 – 416 000 xaf |
| Fertilizer costs | 150 000 – 300 000 xaf | 0 | 150 000 – 300 000 xaf |
| Fertilizer sales | 0 | 850 000 xaf | + 850 000 xaf |
| Total Annual Benefits | 1 291 200 – 1 566 000 xaf | ||
Agricultural Success
- Crop Yield Increase: 30-60% across all crops (corn, beans, groundnuts, peppers, cabbage, cassava, celeri).
- Production Cost: Reduced by 100% for fertilizers and pesticides.
- Soil Health: Dramatic improvement in texture and composition.
- Food Security: Improved students quality food and reduced canteen access costs.
Environmental Impact
- Waste Diversion: 50 tons annually from landfills.
- Carbon Footprint: Reduced at 80% their dependence on fossil fuel.
- Water Quality: Reduced contamination of local water sources.
- Community Influence: Students bring back the various technics in their communities.
Social Benefits
- Education: Expertise in sustainable waste management courses now integrated into the curriculum.
- Skills Development: Both students and school staff gained practical expertise in sustainable waste management.
- Health: Improved students’ health through better sanitation and nutrition.
- Community Leadership: Became local environmental champions.
Customer Testimonial
“I’m glad today to present you our success story with the GWC. From the beginning, the company provided training the personnel and the children on sustainable waste management through our zero waste club. The results today are above expectations. The children are real environmental heroes from home level to their respective communities. Our campus environment is healthy and more attractive, we are able to grow several crops, which make us have a full control on what is being consumed by students. Limiting cooking gas and food related bills help us improve our various offers. We have become a reference in the community. We strongly encourage every educational institution to adopt the GWC technology, cause while making the campus autonomous, you raise citizens with appropriate skills to respond to the Country’s real challenges.”
Key Learning Outcomes
For Potential Adopters
- Circular Economy Principles: Transform waste streams into valuable resources.
- Financial Sustainability: Achieve positive ROI by the end of the second year through cost savings and revenue generation.
- Agricultural Innovation: Transition from chemical to organic farming with improved yields.
- Community Impact: Individual actions can catalyze broader environmental change.
- Educational innovation: Sustainable waste management now integrated into the program.
For Implementers
- Technology Scalability: Biodigester systems work effectively at school scale.
- Knowledge Transfer: Skill-based education enhances employability and critical thinking.
- Multi-benefit Approach: Solutions addressing energy, waste, education and agriculture simultaneously create greater impact.
For Policymakers
- Quality Education Development: Integrated waste-to-resource systems guarantee the achievement of SDGs.
- Students Health: Improved waste management directly impacts the living environment.
- Environmental Protection: School-level solutions can address regional pollution challenges.
- Food Security: Sustainable agriculture practices enhance food quality and availability.
The Bigger Picture: Scaling Success
ISEE’s experience provides a replicable model for:
- Educational institutions seeking integrated, autonomous campus, and sustainable agriculture expertise.
- Communities working to address waste management and environmental health.
- Organizations promoting circular economy solutions and quality education in developing regions.
- Policymakers developing integrated approaches to Education.
Measurable Impact Potential (Replicated across 1,000 educational institutions)
- 50,000 tons of organic waste diverted annually.
- 646-690 million XAF in combined household savings.
- 900,000 liters of organic fertilizer produced daily.
- 30-60% increase in regional food production capacity.
Conclusion
The Green Waste Center solution improved the educational system of ISEE, which is now classified as a school of reference with an autonomous campus. This success demonstrates that sustainable technology can simultaneously address economic, educational, environmental, and social challenges in developing regions.
