About the project

The #EcoTechRevolution project is an initiative focused on e-waste management and upcycling in Eden Rhino Camp Refugee Settlement, Uganda, and in Juba and Yei South Sudan. This project addresses the growing issue of electronic waste by equipping marginalized youth with repair and upcycling skills, including media skills promoting sustainability and economic empowerment.

Implemented in partnership with Koneta Hub, the project runs for five days and targets 70 participants (40 females, 30 males). Using the #ASKotec mobile training kit, participants collect, dismantle, repurpose and repair discarded electronics, gaining hands-on experience in desoldering, testing, and repurposing e-waste into useful products.

Funded by BMZ and supported by r0g_agency under the Eco-Tech Revolution-ASKnet initiative, the project aims to reduce e-waste, create livelihood opportunities, and promote a circular economy within refugee and host communities. By fostering technical skills and innovation, #EcoTechRevolution contributes to a more sustainable and self-reliant future for displaced populations.

A group of individuals stand together indoors in front of a banner that reads "#ASKnet." They are holding two fans and two boxes labeled "CC4D." The room has wooden walls and plastic chairs, suggesting a community center or classroom setting. This image captures a moment from a community or educational event where participants are showcasing projects related to the CC4D initiative.

About the approach

The #EcoTechRevolution project adopts a hands-on, participatory approach to e-waste management by integrating repair, upcycling, and media skills training. Using the #ASKotec mobile training kit, participants collect, dismantle, repair, and repurpose discarded electronics into useful products and awareness raising through creation of Open educational resources (OERs). This method fosters learning-by-doing, encouraging innovation and sustainability.

Our approach aligns with the Distributed Design Platform’s values:

Open: The project shares repair knowledge, media skills and upcycling techniques through open-source tools and collaborative workshops including publishing open education resources on open source platforms such as the GitHub.
Collaborative: It brings together refugees, host communities, and experts to exchange skills and co-create solutions through repair cafés
Regenerative: By extending the life of electronics and promoting circular economy practices, the project reduces environmental impact and generates new livelihood opportunities.
Ecosystemic: It strengthens local repair networks, empowering youth and fostering a self-sustaining ecosystem of repairers and innovators.

By combining technology, sustainability, and community-driven action, #EcoTechRevolution transforms e-waste into opportunities for education, employment, and environmental impact.

A group of individuals are gathered around a wooden board, working on an electronics project. One person is holding a soldering iron and soldering components onto the board, which has wires and small electronic parts like LEDs. The other individuals are observing or helping with the task. This image captures a hands-on learning environment where participants are actively engaged in an electronics activity, showcasing teamwork and technical skill development.

About the collective

Community Creativity for Development (CC4D) is a Youth-led community-based organization formed in August 2019 by a group of South Sudanese Refugee Youth professionals who saw a gap in repair, reuse and maintenance of Electronics with its headquarters in Eden II, Rhino Camp. CC4D aims at connecting communities while also finding solutions to protect the environment from global warming. We connect communities through organizing repair café events that encourage people to work together and share knowledge and skills which helps to bring people together and work on building a more coherent and peaceful community.

CC4D is implementing Co-funded electronic waste management project through repair café events (mobile repairs and maintenance of electronics) mobile digital literacy skills training programs, ICT mentorship for women and girls. CC4D is a member of the #ASKnet community (Access to Skills Knowledge and Network), Global Innovation Gathering (GIG), Africa Open Science Hardware (AfricaOSH), Africa Makers Space Network , Restarters community and the Global Open Science Hardware (GOSH).

CC4D, an award winner of the Job Security and Financial Services Category in the 2021 online EU: AFRICA THE JOURNEY HACKATHON organized and hosted by Garage48 in Estonia possesses considerable expertise in the areas including ICT, Environment, Sustainable Peace, youth empowerment and livelihood support with experienced staff working with the communities for over 4 years in Rhino Camp Refugee Settlement. CC4D has over time established a strong board structure that defines her strategic direction.