One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia

Discover the amazing true story of Isatou Ceesay, a woman from Africa who helped her community by starting a recycling project to fight the problems caused by plastic bags.

For a long time, people in Njau, Gambia used plastic bags because they were cheap and easy to carry. But when the bags ripped or weren’t needed anymore, they were tossed on the ground. Soon, piles of plastic bags were everywhere. Rainwater collected inside them, making perfect homes for mosquitoes that spread sickness. When people tried to burn the bags, the air filled with a terrible smell. The bags even hurt gardens, harmed animals, and made the environment messy and unsafe.

Isatou decided something had to change. She began picking up the plastic bags and turning them into brand‑new things. Her idea helped clean up the village and also created jobs for women who needed extra money to support their families.