Buy Food with Plastic is a global non-profit organization founded in 2018 in Zurich, Switzerland, operating in underserved communities across Nicaragua, Ghana, and India. The organization addresses the interconnected challenges of plastic pollution, food insecurity, and poverty, issues that are deeply rooted in these contexts and exacerbated by limited access to resources, employment opportunities, and effective waste management systems.

Through an integrated approach, Buy Food with Plastic develops sustainable and scalable solutions that simultaneously tackle environmental and socio-economic challenges, while empowering local communities through education, income-generating opportunities, and environmental stewardship. To further strengthen its impact, the organization established its own recycling and upcycling facilities in Nicaragua, Ghana, and India between 2021 and 2023, creating localized systems that transform plastic waste into valuable resources.

Across Nicaragua, communities are increasingly embracing solutions to address plastic pollution and strengthen local livelihoods. Along the Pacific coast, home to more than four million people, Buy Food with Plastic works together with local communities to transform plastic waste into opportunities for environmental protection, income generation, and access to essential resources.

While access to clean drinking water and effective waste management remains a challenge in some rural areas, communities are increasingly participating in collection, recycling, and education initiatives that help create cleaner and healthier environments.

The Nando and Elsa Peretti Foundation (NaEPF), in line with its mission to promote a sustainable relationship between humanity and nature through responsible resource stewardship and education, initially supported Buy Food with Plastic’s initiatives in Ghana and Nicaragua in 2024.

Through three complementary pillars: education, community engagement, and events; the operation of re- and upcycling facilities; and the deployment of the Recycling Impact Truck, the project delivered measurable and tangible results. In total, these activities reached approximately 185,000 people and enabled the collection and processing of over 180,000 plastic bottles.

Building on this success, the NaEPF has renewed its support for Buy Food with Plastic’s initiative in Nicaragua through a three-year program extending to 2028, reinforcing its commitment to scalable, long-term environmental and social impact.

The Circular Impact Project Nicaragua 2026-2028 addresses two interconnected challenges, plastic pollution and poverty, by transforming them into opportunities for sustainable environmental and social impact. Through an integrated approach that combines waste management, education, job creation, and access to clean water, the project empowers local communities to build healthier and more resilient futures.

By reimagining waste as a valuable resource, Buy Food with Plastic tackles these challenges holistically: contributing to cleaner ecosystems, raising awareness around responsible waste management, and creating income-generating opportunities through recycling and meal preparation activities.

Complementary workshops further strengthen community capacity by promoting sustainable practices and advancing understanding of circular economy principles. At its core, the project seeks to inspire systemic change by turning waste into a resource while improving livelihoods and fostering a healthier, more equitable environment for future generations.

This multifaceted approach not only addresses immediate challenges but also strengthens long-term resilience and supports sustainable development across the communities it serves.

The initiative will directly involve around 200 participants, including young people, small-scale farmers and producers, agricultural workers, chefs, educators, and community organisers, with particular attention to underrepresented groups. A much wider audience-estimated at over 100,000 people-will be reached indirectly through public events, digital platforms, media engagement, and the activities of partner organisations.

By the end of the project in February 2029, the Terra Hub is expected to be fully operational and recognised as a national reference point for agroecological learning and community-based food governance. More broadly, the initiative seeks to increase public understanding of the connections between environmental sustainability, social justice, and food systems, while strengthening collaboration across sectors.

Through its support, the Nando and Elsa Peretti Foundation advances a long-term vision in which communities are empowered to play an active role in shaping food policies and agricultural practices. By strengthening knowledge, participation, and collaboration, the project contributes to the development of more resilient, inclusive, and environmentally sustainable food systems, generating lasting benefits for both people and the planet.