Category: Innovation Series | Field Notes
A broken bottle in the bush is more than litter. It’s a hazard to wildlife, a scar on the land, and a sign of waste without purpose. At Kakori, we saw something different: the beginnings of a brick, the foundation of a centre, the start of a story.
The Problem
For decades, glass waste piled up in communities around Hwange. With no recycling systems, bottles were tossed aside, broken underfoot, or scattered through the bush. They cut bare feet, endangered livestock, and added to the growing environmental strain.
Meanwhile, the cost of construction materials remained a constant obstacle. Conservation needed infrastructure — research centres, training spaces, community hubs — but bricks and cement came at a steep price, often limiting what could be built.
Two problems: unmanaged waste and unaffordable building materials. One solution: connect the two.
The Solution
Kakori pioneered a waste-to-resource system that transforms glass bottles into sustainable bricks.
Bottles are collected from lodges, villages, and community clean-up campaigns.
They are crushed into fine sand, eliminating sharp edges and reducing volume.
The sand is blended with other materials to form strong, durable bricks.
What once littered the landscape is now stacked as walls.
The flagship project? The Kakori Conservation Centre — built with eco-bricks that stand as both structure and symbol.
The Impact
Thousands of bottles diverted from the environment, removing hazards for people and wildlife alike.
Affordable construction for conservation, reducing costs and empowering local solutions.
Community involvement in collection and production, turning waste into livelihoods.
A powerful message: what was once waste can become the foundation of the future.
The Conservation Centre, rising from these eco-bricks, will train hundreds of conservation professionals in the years to come. The very walls of the building will tell the story of renewal.
The Bigger Picture
This project is about more than bricks. It’s about rethinking systems. Waste is not an endpoint — it’s a resource waiting to be reimagined.
At Kakori, we believe in circular economies where nothing is wasted and everything serves a purpose. By turning bottles into bricks, we’re building more than walls — we’re building resilience, opportunity, and hope.
Call to Action
Every brick brings us closer to a future where waste fuels conservation. Support Kakori’s waste-to-resource projects and help us build centres of knowledge, resilience, and change.
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