At the end of May, the “Recycling is the Pillar of Sustainable Development” project, carried out by the Ér Hangja Association with the support of the European Solidarity Corps, was successfully completed. As part of the project, ten easily understandable digital educational materials were created. These resources use playful formats to draw attention to the importance of an environmentally conscious lifestyle, with a special focus on waste recycling. Below, you can read the reflections of students, volunteers, and teachers who participated in the project in various ways.
„I felt proud to be part of this small community effort”
For me, participating in an ESC solidarity project is always a special occasion and opportunity.
he initiative “Recycling is the Pillar of Sustainable Development” touched me in a particular way, as I consider environmental protection important even on a daily level. As a local, it felt good to see that our small community could also take part in such a European-level initiative.
My task was to coordinate part of the organization, and during this time, I witnessed how young people came together to brainstorm, learn, and grow.
The goal of the project was to showcase the importance of sustainable living using playful, digital tools – with a special focus on waste recycling. Surprisingly creative solutions emerged, and I felt proud to be part of this small community effort, even if only as someone working behind the scenes.
This experience gave me much more than I had expected. I saw the power of community in action: locals, students, organizers, and volunteers working together for a good cause. I learned that change is not always spectacular, but every small act counts – whether it’s a recycled glass, a helpful smile, or a word of encouragement. Sustainability is a shared responsibility – and now I don’t just believe it, I’ve experienced it.
Amarilisz Béres, volunteer
„It was a wonderful experience to see how the enthusiasm and creativity of the students met with technical tools”
This is not my first ESC solidarity project as a volunteer, but the initiative titled “Recycling is the Pillar of Sustainable Development” was especially close to my heart. In this project, my main responsibility was documentation: I created video content, photographed the events, and followed the work of the students and organizers from behind the camera. I was there for every moment when something valuable came to life – whether it was trying out a new idea, recording a creative educational video, or engaging in a meaningful conversation about environmental awareness.
The aim of the project was to raise young people’s awareness of the importance of sustainable living – especially waste recycling – in a playful, digital format, primarily through videos. It was a wonderful experience to see how the enthusiasm and creativity of the students met with technical tools. For many of them, it was their first time in front of a camera or trying out the basics of video making – and I did my best not only to capture but also to support them throughout this process.
For me, this project gave a lot not only professionally but also personally. I feel that through my photos and videos, I was truly able to contribute to spreading important messages to young people – in their own language, in a digital form. Sustainability is not just a theory – this project proved that it can be learned and acted upon in a playful, community-driven way.
Tibor Borbély, volunteer
„We learned by playing, but still discovered so many new things”
When I first heard we were going to work on a new school project about sustainability and bees, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Then we found out we would be learning using LEGO bricks – and that made me super excited!
During the project, we learned lots of interesting things about bees. For example, that without them, many fruits and vegetables wouldn’t exist because they pollinate the flowers. I didn’t know that before, but now I’m really thankful to them! We also talked about how we can protect them, like by planting bee-friendly flowers or using fewer chemicals in gardens.
The most exciting part was when we built beehives, flower meadows, and scenes showing how bees live – all out of LEGO! We worked in teams, and everyone got to add their own ideas. I made a little LEGO bee that was drinking nectar from a flower. The people from the project filmed what we were doing and asked us questions about what we had learned.
I think this was one of the best things we’ve ever done at school. We learned by playing, but still discovered so many new things – not just about bees, but also about how to care for nature. Now I’m much more careful not to step on flowers, and I promised myself to plant some bee-friendly flowers in our garden next spring.
I really hope we’ll have more projects like this in the future!
B. Abigél, student
„I think LEGO is an amazing thing”
I was really happy when I found out I could take part in making a short film about environmental protection. We, the LEGO kids, have built many interesting things before, but this was the first time we made a real movie about our work! It was a truly cool kind of school project.
I think LEGO is an amazing thing. A lot of kids like it, and I really like that here in Săcueni we can play with LEGO even at school – here, it’s not just a toy, it’s a way of learning too. It feels good that we’re not only learning math and grammar but also get to try creative activities like this.
We laughed a lot while filming, but at the same time, we really started thinking about what we can do for the Earth. For me, the best part was that we could share our own ideas and that we even appeared in the film.
When the film was finished and they showed it to the other classes, I was really proud. It felt great to see that everyone was paying attention and interested. I think these short films help show that protecting the environment isn’t a boring topic – and that we, as kids, can also do something to help.
I hope there will be more projects like this because it was awesome to be a part of it!
K. Zalán, student
„I am sure I will continue to use these films in the future”
As a teacher, I was very happy to join the screening phase of the “Recycling is the Pillar of Sustainable Development” project, as it touches on an important and highly relevant topic. I showed the short films to several groups of students from grades 5 to 8, and I can confidently say: they were a real success! The children truly enjoyed the videos – perhaps because their peers appeared in them, and the style, language, and topics were close to their everyday reality.
After the screenings, we had many valuable discussions about environmental protection, recycling, and the responsibility behind everyday decisions. The short films served as excellent starting points for shared reflection, and many students shared personal experiences and ideas. Even those who are usually more reserved spoke up – which, for me, is always a special joy.
I am sure I will continue to use these films in the future, for example during Green Week or School Otherwise programs. It’s a great feeling to have such a visual, youth-oriented tool in our hands that makes teaching truly engaging.
I believe that in educating today’s generation, it is essential to rely on non-formal teaching methods. Digital tools, visuals, and project-based or alternative pedagogical approaches can reach students much more effectively – and this project represented exactly that direction. I’m glad I could be a part of it!Enikő Szücs-Pap, teacher
