Transforming Waste Through Children’s Creativity
A film directed by Miléquêm Diarassouba for Global Citizen’s Emerging Creatives Program, exploring how art can inspire environmental awareness among children on Désirée Island, Côte d’Ivoire.
Produced for Global Citizen’s Emerging Creatives Program, this short film follows Axel Toualy Tapé, a young environmental educator working with children on Désirée Island, near Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
Through creative workshops using discarded plastic waste, children transform pollution into collaborative works of art while discovering new ways to understand and protect their environment.
Rather than focusing solely on the environmental challenges facing the community, the film explores creativity, education and collective action. It highlights how artistic expression can become a powerful tool for environmental awareness and inspire the next generation to care for the places they call home.
The Project
This film was commissioned by Global Citizen as part of its Emerging Creatives Program, an initiative supporting young African storytellers using creativity to drive social and environmental change.
Filmed on Désirée Island, the project documents Axel’s educational approach, where art becomes a bridge between environmental awareness, creativity and community engagement.
Behind the Film
My intention was to create a film that stayed close to people rather than focusing only on the environmental issue itself.
Instead of presenting pollution through statistics or dramatic imagery, I wanted to follow the children, observe their curiosity and document how creativity changes the way they interact with their surroundings.
Every visual decision—from natural light to intimate handheld sequences—was made to preserve authenticity and place viewers alongside the children throughout the experience.
Project Information
Client: Global Citizen
Program: Emerging Creatives Program
Subject: Axel Toualy Tapé
Location: Désirée Island, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
Theme: Environmental Education • Plastic Pollution • Children’s Creativity
Category: Short Documentary Film
Director, Cinematographer & Editor: Miléquêm Diarassouba
Drone Cinematography & Additional Camera: Alfred Dogbe
Production Assistant: Chemain Brou
Language: French
Year: June 2026
