GSP Spotlight: EarthPulse (Waste to Worth)

From Technology to Community: How a GCI Fellow Turned Waste into Movement

The seeds of EarthPulse were planted at the 2025 Global Citizens Initiative Summit in St Andrews, Scotland. Inspired by discussions on local solutions to global challenges, 2025 GCI Fellow Fadeel Notta returned to Kenya determined to address waste mismanagement in a new way. The result was EarthPulse, a community-driven initiative that helps households, businesses, waste collectors, and recycling organizations recognize both the environmental and economic value of waste segregation.

During the Summit, Fellows were challenged to use design thinking to examine the root causes of global issues and explore how local action can create meaningful change. As conversations turned to sustainability and community-led innovation, Fadeel found himself reflecting on a challenge he had encountered repeatedly in Kenya. Despite growing awareness of environmental issues, waste was still widely viewed as something to be discarded rather than as a resource with economic potential.

The idea did not emerge in isolation. For several years, Fadeel had been exploring waste-management challenges through BinMan, a technology-driven initiative designed to connect households and businesses with specialized recycling and recovery partners. Through this work, he gained first-hand exposure to the complexities of waste management and began to realize that technology alone could not solve the problem.

One conversation during a community visit helped shape the direction of EarthPulse. A resident proudly explained that the household separated its organic waste before collection. Later that day, Fadeel shared the observation with a waste collector.

"That's exactly where the challenge begins," the collector replied.

He explained that when different types of organic waste are mixed together, their potential for recovery and reuse is significantly reduced. That brief exchange revealed a gap Fadeel had not fully appreciated before. The issue was not only collecting waste more efficiently. It was helping communities understand how decisions made at home influence what can happen to waste afterward.

Inspired by both the design-thinking approach explored at GCI and the lessons learned through BinMan, Fadeel launched EarthPulse as his GCI "Glocal" Service Project. The initiative focuses on bringing together households, students, businesses, waste collectors, and recycling organizations to promote better waste-segregation practices and strengthen local circular-economy solutions. By combining education, community engagement, and practical action, EarthPulse encourages communities to see waste not merely as something to be managed, but as a resource capable of generating environmental and economic value.

Since its launch, EarthPulse has assembled a team of 12 student volunteers and engaged more than 80 students in environmental awareness and sustainability initiatives. The team has also conducted household waste studies across 50 homes to better understand waste-generation patterns and identify opportunities for long-term improvement.

Together, EarthPulse and BinMan have facilitated the diversion and recycling of more than 11,500 kilograms of waste across Kenya, demonstrating how stronger connections between communities and recovery partners can improve environmental outcomes while creating value from materials that might otherwise end up in landfill.

Reflecting on the experience, Fadeel believes the project's success comes from focusing on people as much as systems.

"One of the biggest lessons I learned is that technology alone cannot solve environmental challenges. Lasting change happens when people understand why their actions matter and can see the value being created for their communities. The most successful solutions are those that bring different people together around a shared goal."

The project has continued to gain momentum. EarthPulse was selected for the International Baccalaureate Global Youth Action Fund 2026, receiving US$2,500 in funding support after being chosen from more than 1,100 submissions representing 42 countries.

Looking ahead, Fadeel hopes to expand EarthPulse by engaging more schools, households, and community organizations in waste-segregation and environmental-action initiatives. Building on the insights gained through GCI and subsequent academic experiences, he hopes to continue developing solutions that transform waste into both environmental and economic opportunities.

For Fadeel, EarthPulse represents more than a sustainability project. It is a reminder that global conversations can spark local action. What began in St Andrews as a discussion about community-driven solutions has evolved into a growing movement rooted in the realities of Kenyan communities, demonstrating the power of connecting global perspectives with local impact.