The Gambia’s ‘Queen of Recycling’

In 1997, Isatou Ceesay, who lives in The Gambia had an idea to make bags and purses out of old discarded plastic.

Her idea to help the environment started with a group of five women and has grown to become a national project that supports women in the country to improve their skills and income.

She is now recognised worldwide for her environmental work and has become known in Africa as the ‘"Queen of Recycling".

Isatou tells Gill Kearsley her story.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.

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(Photo: Isatou Ceesay. Credit: BBC)