Inspired by first lady Emine Erdoğan’s Zero Waste Project, Senegal Maarif Schools begin using cat houses made from recycled materials
Launched in 2017 by Emine Erdoğan, who also spearheads the project, the Zero Waste Project continues to resonate across Africa.
Events organized by Marie Khone Faye, the wife of Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, together with Türkiye’s ambassador to Dakar, Nur Sağman, on the occasion of International Day of Zero Waste on March 30, inspired teachers at Senegal Maarif Schools.
Rabiatou Aw, a visual arts teacher at the Iba Der Thiam Maarif School in the capital Dakar, decided to repurpose waste materials after seeing news coverage of Faye’s event at Warang Primary School in the Malicounda district, located about 100 kilometers (62.14 miles) from Dakar.
Noticing that cats in the schoolyard were seeking shade as temperatures rose, Aw began building a cat house using discarded papers from class and cardboard collected outdoors.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), Aw said that the waste recycling infrastructure in Senegal is still very underdeveloped, but she wanted to raise awareness among her students at the very least.
Stressing that the Zero Waste Project has great potential to make a difference, especially in Africa, Aw said, “I came across the program organized by our President’s wife, Marie Khone Faye, about Emine Erdoğan’s initiative and started researching how I could recycle waste. While environmental pollution is a global issue, the reuse of waste is a much more critical matter in Africa.”
She added that she has been recycling waste with her students for some time now, “Our students loved the cat house we made from waste. We don't just make cat houses, we also create decorative items and even give them as gifts to parents.”
Furkan Şişman, a Turkish language teacher who supported the project, said that parents appreciated the cat house initiative and that Turkish affection for stray animals has become a notable example for the community.
“Even though there aren’t as many stray animals in Senegal as in Türkiye, these cat houses we made for our furry friends have drawn great attention from parents and sparked real awareness about street animals.”
Ambassador Sağman also recalled that the Zero Waste Project campaign they carried out with Faye at a school on April 6 inspired many educational institutions.
“The campaign we conducted with Faye made a real impact nationwide. We encouraged 43 schools in the region to take part, and we’re still following up. Seeing such an initiative come from Maarif Schools made me especially happy. We have eight cats in the garden of our embassy residence, and I’ve placed an order for a cat house for them too,” she said.
A 2024 study titled “Challenges in Senegal’s Waste Management Sector” revealed that Senegal produces more than 3.1 million tons of urban waste annually. The study indicated that 45% of this waste, approximately 1.3 million tons, is not collected and is often dumped into nature without control.
According to 2022 data from the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, the city of Dakar produces 1,426 tons of waste daily, but only 4% of it is recycled.
While the government has taken some steps to improve recycling, these efforts remain inadequate.
One of the country’s most significant projects in this area is the “Project for the Promotion of Integrated Management and Economy of Solid Waste (PROMOGED),” launched in 2021. With a budget of approximately $300 million, it aims to strengthen waste management infrastructure, increase recycling rates and encourage private sector participation.
