In 2019, there were 135 waste containers in the Krynychky municipality, the waste from which was delivered to a common dumping ground to be piled over there. Everything has changed after the municipality took part in an environmental education projects contest organized by the U-LEAD with Europe Programme. Now there is an entrepreneur who has engaged in collecting scrap waste in the municipality, the local residents are fully aware of waste sorting, and superheroes tell children in the kindergartens about environmental protection, said Viktoria Trotsenko, a former employee of the Krynychky Village Council Executive Committee.

Two years ago, acting jointly with the Korin Ekolohiyi Non-Governmental Organization, Trotsenko won a grant to conduct an awareness raising campaign among the local population. Using the grant funds received, an environmental protection festival was organized, waste sorting containers were purchased, training sessions and expert lectures were delivered, and even area-specific superheroes were created in the municipality.

«Our project has covered all layers of the population, from preschoolers to pensioners. We decided to engage qualified specialists able to explain all the details to every resident of the community in a comprehensible manner. For the preschoolers and junior pupils, we thought up superheroes who tell about waste sorting and environmental awareness,»

said Viktoria Trotsenko.

Since there was no waste sorting station in the municipality, activists tried to come to an agreement with neighbouring towns. However, nobody consented to coming to the community due to the lack of any financial benefits. At last, a local entrepreneur saved the community.