Plastic bottle drive project backs environment, education advocacies

THE CARD Mutually Reinforcing Institution (CARD MRI) recently launched a “Plastic Bottle Drive Project” to further advance its advocacy on poverty eradication by taking care of the environment and helping the children’s education at the same time.

“Every day, we produce different kinds of wastes that are harmful to the environment, including water bottles. In order to minimize its impact, we need to recycle these water bottles as it takes years to break down the materials in a plastic bottle,” said Mharra Sarmiento, community development special project officer of CARD MRI.

The project aims to develop staff and clients’ care for their community, the environment and the next generation.

The cash collected from selling plastic bottles will be donated to support thousands of students in the country through the CARD MRI Zero Dropout Program. The program is part of the CARD MRI “One Family, One Graduate” program, said Sarmiento.

It is an effort of CARD MRI to ensure one college graduate for every family it serves, leading to an enhanced economic situation for the whole family.

Through the grants and donations given by CARD MRI’s supporters, the Zero Dropout Program was conceptualized in 2011.

To date, the program has supported at least 250,000 children in their journey towards a better future. The program also has a website (www.cardmri.com/zerodropout) that can accommodate donations online.

The minimum donation amount is P1,000 and the maximum is P50,000. Any amount lower than the minimum and higher than the maximum is possible, provided that the donor directly contacts the Resource Mobilization Unit through Deputy Director Pauline Landicho.

Donors also have the options to include their names on the program’s site or not and to choose a preferred province to allot the donation.