01 Sep 2026

Morula Primary School of Phikwe has emerged as the overall winner of Bonnita’s Collect, Create and Win Challenge, earning P50,000 after transforming used milk cartons into creative sculptures.

The seven-week challenge brought together learners from 18 schools, who collected used Bonnita milk cartons and transformed them into artworks as part of an initiative aimed at encouraging creativity while promoting waste recovery and sustainability.

Crescent International School of Lobatse came second and received P30,000, while Boitumelo Primary school claimed third place and took home P20,000.

Beyond the competition, the initiative challenged learners to view everyday packaging differently, not simply as waste to be discarded, but as material that could be reused and given a new purpose.

Through the project, learners were encouraged to embrace the principles of reducing, reusing and recycling, while developing creativity, teamwork and problem-solving skills.

Lactalis Botswana marketing manager, Ms Bakwena Maphakwane, said the campaign was designed to help young people recognise that materials commonly regarded as waste still had value beyond their original purpose.

The initiative comes as Bonnita celebrates its 60^th anniversary, marking six decades of being part of the lives of Batswana.

Ms Maphakwane said the milestone provided an opportunity not only to reflect on the brand’s history, but also to consider the future it wanted to help create, with sustainability forming part of that vision.

Bonnita expressed appreciation to all 18 participating schools for the creativity, enthusiasm and teamwork demonstrated by learners throughout the challenge.

The initiative also drew attention to Botswana’s ongoing challenges relating to littering and waste management.

Department of environmental protection director, Ms Ingrid Mpundu Chite, said introducing children to waste recovery at an early age could help cultivate responsible habits and encourage d them to see possibilities in materials that would otherwise be discarded.

For the learners, the challenge offered more than an opportunity to compete for prize money. It demonstrated that something as ordinary as a milk carton could be transformed into something useful, creative and even prize-winning.

The initiative therefore turned waste into art while giving young learners a practical lesson in sustainability, creativity and responsible waste management. ENDS