VeryNile works with over 180 local fishermen in Egypt to collect plastic waste from the Nile River, which alone contributes up to 50% of the plastic waste in the Mediterranean Sea.

Plastic pollution in the Nile is a significant environmental and health issue, exacerbated by a lack of awareness and inadequate waste management systems. This project supports fishermen in Cairo, Asyut and Sohag, who together collect about 1 ton of plastic every day.

Fishermen collect plastic waste from the surface of the Nile as they conduct their regular fishing activities. The project also provides full-time employment to 60 people, primarily women from underprivileged communities, who are trained to recycle HDPE and LDPE plastic waste into products that support sustainable livelihoods. Other types of plastic waste are sorted, segregated, and compacted before being sent to recycling or processing facilities.

In addition, VeryNile has a restoring native Nile plants project and inspiring a sense of responsibility for the environment through our Kids of the Nile program, which helps build a foundation for a new generation of more aware and engaged Nile inhabitants.

Photo credits by: @verynile
https://verynile.org/