Submissions open for DIY Challenge (Nepal)

Use your creativity to turn plastic waste and other discarded materials into something beautiful, useful, or inspiring. It’s your chance to help the planet, one amazing project at a time!

The DIY Challenge is here to help students use their imagination to think differently about waste! Plastic pollution is a big problem for our planet. This challenge invites you to turn everyday trash, especially plastic, into something beautiful, useful, or meaningful! By reusing, recycling, and being creative, they can all help take care of the Earth. Let’s make a better future together, one fun DIY project at a time!

This DIY challenge is a part of “Strengthening a Climate Smart, Green, and Resilient Education System in Nepal,” a joint project by UNESCO and UNICEF, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, and supported by the Government of Norway.

Theme

• The theme is BeatPlasticPollution, which means they want to protect our earth from plastic pollution.

Benefits

• Top winners will receive exciting prizes.

What You Can Create 

• Your creation can be anything that serves a purpose or simply brings beauty and joy!
• Here are some ideas to spark your imagination:
  • Household Items: Pencil holders, planters, decorative bowls, lampshades, tea/table mats, baskets etc.
  • Toys & Games: Board games, puppets, dollhouses, mini robots.
  • Art & Decor: Sculptures, collages, wall hangings, picture frames.
  • Fashion & Accessories: Jewellery, bags, costumes (using waste fabrics or plastics).
  • Gardening Aids: Bird feeders, watering cans, mini greenhouses.

Eligibility Criteria

• Children from Nepal, aged 8 to 14, are welcome to participate in this challenge.

Application Requirements

• Materials You Can (and Must!) Use:
  • Waste materials (e.g., plastic bottles, caps, wrappers, bags, packaging, broken toys, old CDs/DVDs).
  • And other Waste Materials: Cardboard, paper, fabric scraps, tin cans, bottle caps, corks, egg cartons, old clothes, natural materials (twigs, leaves, stones), etc.
  • Joining & Decorating Materials (Allowed)
  • Glue, tape, string, thread, scissors, paint, markers, staplers, and child-safe tools.
  • Use clean and dry materials.
  • (Ask for adult help when needed, especially when cutting or using hot glue.)
• Project Requirements:
  • Minimum 60% Waste Materials: At least half of your creation must be from reused/recycled items.
  • Plastic Emphasis: They want to see creative use of plastic waste.
  • Originality: Be unique, try something no one else has thought of.
  • Functionality or Beauty: Your creation should either do something useful or be visually impressive.
  • Adult Supervision Encouraged: Especially for younger children or during tricky steps.
• Submission Details:
  • To submit your project, follow these simple steps:
  • Project Name: Give your creation a fun, catchy title!
  • Short Description: In 1–3 sentences, explain what your project is, what materials you used, and how it helps the environment.
  • Photos and/or Video: Share 2–4 clear photos of your project (from different angles).
  • Photo quality (High resolution: 1280P x 720P (16:9 aspect ratio)
  • Optional: Record a short video (max 1 minute introducing and explaining your creation.)

For more information, visit UNESCO.