MWENSE, Zambia, June 30 (Xinhua) -- Ten-year-old Benson Mwila from Mwense district in northern Zambia, is not an average boy.
While many of his peers spend their free time playing, Mwila, a grade two student at Mukomansala Primary School in Mwense, is usually busy making things from recyclable waste materials.
It all started about a year ago when Mwila noticed discarded bottle lids lying around in his neighborhood located in Kashiba Chiefdom. He saw the potential in the plastic rings of the lids and began to experiment with ways to repurpose them using his imagination.
"I started by making a bag for carrying school books because I did not have a school bag," he explained.
After learning how to make bags from plastic bottle lids, Mwila embarked on a mission to teach other children at his school to make bags for carrying books.
"I wanted to help my classmates who didn't have school bags. Most of them use plastic carrier bags to carry books. Plastic carrier bags wear out easily," he said in a soft tone.
In addition to the bags, Mwila has been able to make various toys and leisure hats using rings from plastic bottle lids.
One of his peers, nine-year-old Mwila Simeoni, who recently learned from him how to make a bag expressed his admiration and appreciation for Mwila's ingenuity.
"He taught me to make a school bag using the rings from the bottle lids. Now I can carry my school books in a neat way," Simeoni shared, proudly displaying his handmade bag.
Mwila's willingness to share his skills has had a positive influence on other children at his school. According to school authorities, about 12 learners at Mukomansala Primary School have received knowledge from Mwila of how to make bags and other items from recyclable materials.
They said children are now able to weave rings from bottle lids into colorful and durable school bags.
School head teacher Eric Chishala explained that most children at Mukomansala Primary School come from very low-income households and that their families can not afford to buy school bags.
"As a school we are encouraging our students to learn from him and to make these very durable bags to enable them carry books and other learning materials properly" Chishala stated with admiration.
He further revealed hat Mwila's work has sparked a sense of empowerment and creativity among students and has prompted discussions about sustainable practices and the importance of utilizing available resources to make things.
"We are working on establishing a crafts center for the school where learners can learn how to make things from recyclable materials. This idea has been inspired by Mwila's eco-friendly work," Chishala revealed. ■
