Perth Local’s ‘Container for Change’ Efforts Raising Money to Educate Children
Our director, Nathan Hewitt, crossed paths with the inspiring Steve Weychan at Pier 21 Marina in North Fremantle. He was such an inspiration that we asked to interview Steve to learn more about his volunteer work and how our community can get involved.
Steve is a Perth local, and a member of the Rotary Club of Canning River. He devotes an incredible amount of time collecting containers from over 30 businesses, friends and like minded individuals all over Perth, and then recycling the containers at one of Containers For Change recycling centre’s to raise funds for Rotary.
To date, Steve and his club have recycled over 210,000 containers raising an incredible $21,000.
With the money received from the 10 cent containers, Steve and his Rotary Club partner with Sustainable Cambodia (SC) to sponsor the education of fourteen Cambodian students. These students attend one of Sustainable Cambodia’s 3 schools in Pursat, Cambodia.
Not only does Rotary Canning River sponsor 14 children overseas through container donations, but they have also inspired 4 other individuals to sponsor a student on an annual basis.
Steve’s fourteen sponsored children, of which only two are boys, commence their sponsored education in primary school, progress to High School and then hopefully go to University, all paid for by recycling 10cent containers.
The recycling program has proved so popular that Steve’s Rotary Club now raises more money than is required, so Rotary provides Scholarships to local High School students who are excelling in their studies and come from financially challenged families.
Sustainable Cambodia not only provides education to students from poor rural villages, but also works with these villages to provide them with clean drinking water and improved sanitation.
Thank you Steve for providing us with insight into a creative way to help those in need. If you have any questions or would personally like to reach out to Steve, please email him on sweychan@bigpond.net.au
Here are the multiple ways that you too can donate to this great cause and make a difference:
- Scan the Barcode and deposit your 10cent containers at any Containers for Change recycling depot and the money received from your containers will go direct to Rotary Canning Rivers (previously named Rotary of Kenwick) account to support their fundraising efforts in changing the lives of children in Cambodia aswell as Perth.
- Donate through Sustainable Cambodia on their website here https://sustainablecambodia.org/donate/
- Email of phone Steve on 0417 184 090 about your family possibly sponsoring a child.
