Country of Residence
Nigeria
Age
19
Project title
The Teachers' Table
Project Summary: Describe your project in one sentence
The Teachers' Table is a student-led sustainability initiative that brings together approximately 50 university lecturers and students for a hands-on upcycling workshop, transforming discarded materials into useful products while celebrating the educators who have shaped our academic journey.
Website URL(s) or social media handles.
Not currently applicable
Project Category
My project is a brand new / emerging idea
Project Stage
Idea (We’re hoping to get started in the future)
Founding Story: What was the spark that led you to start your project? What was the "Aha!" moment that led you to get started and see the potential for this to succeed?
Some of the most meaningful lessons I have received at university have come from lecturers who consistently show up for us. They are punctual, committed to their classes and intentional about teaching not just academic subjects but also values, discipline and responsibility. As I approach the end of my academic journey, I began thinking about how I could give something back to the people who have invested so much in me. My inspiration came from an experience with the Green Club, University of Lagos, where I learned how discarded materials could be transformed into useful and beautiful products. Through practical sessions, I discovered how old clothes and fabric scraps could become tote bags and headbands, while plastic bottle caps could be repurposed into decorative items. It changed how I viewed waste: materials we casually throw away could still have value. Then, an idea clicked. What if I shared this knowledge with the very lecturers who had spent years teaching me? Instead of simply giving them appreciation gifts, I could create an experience where we learn and create together. That became the inspiration for The Teachers' Table: an opportunity to express gratitude through knowledge-sharing while introducing more people to practical, creative approaches to sustainability.
The Problem: What problem are you helping to solve? Why does it matter to you and your community?
Two problems inspired this initiative. First, environmental sustainability is often discussed in classrooms and public campaigns, but practical opportunities to demonstrate how everyday waste can be reused are less common. Across our university and surrounding communities, discarded clothes, fabric remnants, plastic bottles, bottle caps, cardboard and other materials are frequently treated as useless waste. Yet many of these materials can be transformed into reusable products instead of contributing further to environmental pollution. Second, I believe we sometimes overlook opportunities to appreciate the educators who shape our lives. My lecturers have consistently invested their time, knowledge and effort in our development. As students, we wanted to find a meaningful way to acknowledge that commitment beyond conventional appreciation messages or gifts. These challenges matter to me because I have personally experienced how practical environmental education can change the way someone thinks about waste. I also understand the value of teachers who are genuinely committed to their students. The Teachers' Table brings these two concerns together. It creates an opportunity to demonstrate sustainable practices while strengthening the relationship between students and educators through shared learning, creativity and appreciation.
Your Solution: How are you solving this problem? Share your specific solution.
The Teachers' Table will be a student-led, hands-on upcycling workshop scheduled for 2027 (following the announcement of successful candidates and fund allocation) at the University of Lagos. We plan to bring together approximately 50 lecturers from our department and a team of student facilitators to participate in an interactive learning experience. Rather than giving our lecturers another conventional appreciation gift, we will teach them practical skills we have acquired through the Green Club, University of Lagos. The workshop will feature three creative activities: 1. Fabric transformation: Participants will learn to turn old clothes, Ankara remnants, denim and discarded fabric into reusable tote bags, headbands, scrunchies and other simple accessories. 2. Plastic repurposing: We will demonstrate how cleaned plastic bottle caps can be used to create decorative coasters, mosaics and other creative items. Suitable clean plastic bottles can also be transformed into small planters or storage containers. 3. Creative material reuse: Participants will explore how cardboard, paper packaging, old jars and tin containers can be repurposed into gift boxes, desk organisers and decorative items. Student facilitators will demonstrate each activity, guide the lecturers through the processes and provide materials for everyone to participate. The aim is for each lecturer to create at least one functional or decorative item and leave with a practical skill they can replicate. To make the experience welcoming, the project will provide refreshments for participating lecturers. We will also recognise the most creative completed project with a useful handmade creative piece.
Impact: How has your project created impact / made a difference so far? Or, if at an early stage, what will impact look like?
The Teachers' Table is currently in its planning stage, so our impact will be measured through the outcomes of the proposed workshop rather than achievements we have not yet recorded. Our initial target is to engage approximately 50 lecturers and student facilitators in one practical sustainability workshop. We aim for every participating lecturer to complete at least one upcycled item and gain practical knowledge of transforming discarded materials into useful products. We also hope to introduce at least three creative reuse techniques, demonstrate the value of materials that would otherwise be discarded, and encourage participants to adopt and share these practices beyond the workshop. Our impact will not end when the event does. We intend to document the activities, products created and lessons learned, with participants' permission, and share these through our student and departmental networks to encourage others to embrace sustainable practices. For me, one of the most meaningful outcomes will be seeing lecturers who have spent years teaching us become learners in a space we have created. It is a reminder that knowledge is not limited by titles or positions; it becomes more powerful when people are willing to share it. We will assess our success through attendance, completed products, participant feedback from participants.
Your Innovation: What is different about your project compared to other programs or solutions already out there? How is your project new or innovative?
The innovation behind The Teachers' Table is not simply the act of recycling materials; it is the way we are using practical sustainability education to create an unconventional relationship between students and their lecturers. Most appreciation initiatives focus on presenting teachers with gifts, organising ceremonies or writing messages of gratitude. While these gestures are valuable, we are introducing a different approach: giving back through knowledge and shared experiences. The people who ordinarily stand in front of the classroom teaching us will become participants in a practical workshop facilitated by students. This reverses the traditional classroom dynamic and demonstrates that learning can happen across generations, experiences and positions. There is also an environmental innovation in how we approach discarded materials. Instead of treating sustainability as an abstract concept, we will demonstrate its practical value using accessible materials such as old clothes, fabric remnants, plastic bottle caps, cardboard, jars and discarded containers. Participants will see these materials transformed into products they can actually use. The project is also designed to be replicable. It does not depend on expensive equipment, specialised facilities or complicated technology. With basic tools, locally available materials and the right guidance, other departments, student associations and community groups could organise similar workshops. Our goal is to create a model that other students can adapt: appreciating educators, exchanging knowledge and promoting environmental responsibility through one collaborative activity.
How many people are on your team?
10
Your team: What role(s) do your team members play? How do you share leadership with them?
I lead the initiative, drawing on the sustainability skills I acquired through the Green Club, University of Lagos. I work alongside 10 fellow student organisers who contribute to planning, resource mobilisation, material preparation, participant coordination and workshop facilitation. We share responsibilities, contribute ideas and work collaboratively to ensure the workshop is practical, inclusive and well organised.
What’s Next: What are the next steps you plan to take to grow or strengthen your project over the next year? If your project is still in the idea stage, describe the steps you will take over the next three months to launch or begin developing it.
Our immediate priority is to successfully deliver the first edition of The Teachers' Table in 2027 after disbursement. Over the coming weeks, we will finalise the list of approximately 50 participating lecturers, confirm the venue, organise student facilitators and source the materials required for the workshop. We will use the funding to support three key areas: 1. Workshop materials: Purchasing fabric, needles, thread, scissors, glue, decorative materials and other basic crafting supplies. We will also source clean discarded clothes, fabric remnants, bottle caps, cardboard and reusable containers to minimise expenses. 2. Tools and preparation: Providing the basic tools and preparing demonstration materials so participants can complete their projects. 3. Refreshments: Providing snacks and drinks for the participating lecturers as a gesture of appreciation and to create a welcoming learning environment. Following the workshop, we will collect feedback, document the products created and evaluate what participants learned. We also hope to share the experience with other departments and student groups. In the longer term, I want The Teachers' Table to become a replicable student-led initiative that connects environmental education with community appreciation, encouraging more students to share their skills and create practical change within their institutions.
How do you encourage other people to join your project or learn about the problem you’re working on? If you have a new idea, tell us how you will do this in the future.
I believe people are more likely to embrace sustainability when they can see and experience what is possible. That is why The Teachers' Table is designed around participation rather than simply telling people why recycling matters. While working with fellow students to develop this initiative, we are sharing responsibilities in planning, preparing materials and seeking support to make the workshop possible. Our first audience will be approximately 50 lecturers in our Faculty. By involving them directly in the creative process, we hope they will become advocates for practical sustainability and share what they learn with colleagues, students and their wider communities. We also intend to document the workshop through photographs, videos and examples of completed products, with participants' consent. These materials will help us demonstrate that sustainable practices can be affordable, accessible and creative.
