Location: Cameroon

In Cameroon, in 2021 alone there was 600,000 tons of plastic waste, and less than 20% was recycled.[1] When left unaddressed, uncollected waste leads to disease outbreaks and deadly air pollution from trash burning.[2]

BleagLee collaborates with local governments to improve waste collection, convert waste into clean fuel, and provide employment opportunities.

Operating in Cameroon’s five largest cities, BleagLee uses drones and artificial intelligence to map illegal dumpsites and provides this data to local governments, which then ensure that waste gets collected. BleagLee repurposes collected waste into useful products like fuel blocks that produce less pollution than charcoal and firewood.

These fuel blocks are then sold to the public and priced 30% cheaper than charcoal, making the eco-friendly option more economical. Over 75% of Cameroonian households now use these blocks, reducing their household air pollution by 60-80%.[3]

BleagLee trains and employs young people and women, some of the most underemployed groups in the region, in artificial intelligence, mapping technology, and electronics repair, creating over 530 jobs.

Between 2021 and 2023, the organization processed over 44,620 tons of waste, achieving a 2023 recycling rate of 63% in areas in which it operated. Areas in which BleagLee operates are also cleaner, seeing a 35% reduction in respiratory diseases and a 40% decrease in water contamination incidents, suggesting that BleagLee’s efforts, alongside other public health interventions, have been effective in improving health.

Learn more: https://www.bleaglee.org/

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