Trash for Sustainable Empowerment Through Circular Economy (TRACE)

The TRACE proposal intent to share and promote innovative sustainable actions and knowledge from experience on waste management and upcycling within the local communities of the regional target municipalities hosting the future earth cluster partners of the University of Limpopo (UL-FEAHLC). These target municipalities from selected regions of Africa are home to diverse marginalized communities within informal settlements and are known to generate large amounts of waste. The TRACE project aims to demonstrate and promote sustainable social and economic empowerment of the local communities through innovative transformation of waste based on active circular economy initiatives within these municipalities. The project output will demonstrate upcycling opportunities for solid waste including plastics, organic waste and e-waste recovery in the UL Sustainability Science Cluster. These outputs will leverage the cluster's multi-sectoral diversity which include academic and research institutions and active registered non-governmental organizations across various localities, through the collaborative design and implementation of sustainability-focused project activities.   By converting trash into economic treasure, there will be enhanced income streams leading to improved livelihoods, ecosystem conservation and innovative technologies. These outcomes align well with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and contribute to both the short-term and long-term objectives of Africa’s Agenda 2063. This is particularly in advancing sustainable waste management, circular economy practices and environmental conservation.     TRACE will deliver measurable environmental, social, and economic impact by diverting 30–50 tons of waste from landfills, increasing community-level waste segregation by at least 40%, and creating 30–50 green jobs or micro-enterprises. The project will train 100–200 community members, develop scalable upcycling solutions, and strengthen municipal and community capacity for circular economy implementation. Outcomes align with SDGs and Africa Agenda 2063, with clear monitoring through baseline and endline assessments to ensure sustainability and replicability.