{"id":2097,"date":"2023-06-07T09:48:19","date_gmt":"2023-06-07T08:48:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/coolrunningsmalawi.com\/?page_id=2097"},"modified":"2025-11-02T10:13:03","modified_gmt":"2025-11-02T10:13:03","slug":"swopshop","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/coolrunningsmalawi.com\/index.php\/coolprojects\/swopshop\/","title":{"rendered":"SwopShop"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"2097\" class=\"elementor elementor-2097\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-f5931a2 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"f5931a2\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-fdbdfdb\" data-id=\"fdbdfdb\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f0f8973 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"f0f8973\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.13.3 - 28-05-2023 *\/\n.elementor-heading-title{padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title[class*=elementor-size-]>a{color:inherit;font-size:inherit;line-height:inherit}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-small{font-size:15px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-medium{font-size:19px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-large{font-size:29px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xl{font-size:39px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xxl{font-size:59px}<\/style><h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Swop Shop<\/h1>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-8451160 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"8451160\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-5f017fb\" data-id=\"5f017fb\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-60fb3fa elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"60fb3fa\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.13.3 - 28-05-2023 *\/\n.elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=\".svg\"]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"386\" src=\"https:\/\/coolrunningsmalawi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/b8ad212b-bdd8-4cb0-bd94-a85ac3433e1c-2-e1761833456316-768x386.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium_large size-medium_large wp-image-2586\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/coolrunningsmalawi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/b8ad212b-bdd8-4cb0-bd94-a85ac3433e1c-2-e1761833456316-768x386.jpg 768w, https:\/\/coolrunningsmalawi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/b8ad212b-bdd8-4cb0-bd94-a85ac3433e1c-2-e1761833456316-300x151.jpg 300w, https:\/\/coolrunningsmalawi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/b8ad212b-bdd8-4cb0-bd94-a85ac3433e1c-2-e1761833456316-1024x515.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/coolrunningsmalawi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/b8ad212b-bdd8-4cb0-bd94-a85ac3433e1c-2-e1761833456316-1536x772.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/coolrunningsmalawi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/b8ad212b-bdd8-4cb0-bd94-a85ac3433e1c-2-e1761833456316.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-88c9c27 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"88c9c27\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-b167101\" data-id=\"b167101\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-22ff0a1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"22ff0a1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-large\">\"Get something fantastic for your plastic\"\n- the swop shop in Senga Bay<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-671baa4 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"671baa4\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-f64aa5f\" data-id=\"f64aa5f\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-055670e elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"055670e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/coolrunningsmalawi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/cc0e41d9-11f7-4d94-b7c7-c12b962c4e96-e1762076854903.jpg\" title=\"cc0e41d9-11f7-4d94-b7c7-c12b962c4e96\" alt=\"cc0e41d9-11f7-4d94-b7c7-c12b962c4e96\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-b2be632\" data-id=\"b2be632\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1fc6d11 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget-tablet__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1fc6d11\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.13.3 - 28-05-2023 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#69727d;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#69727d;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;\">Everybody knows them, they can be found everywhere: plastic bags and papers! But they not only destroy the beautiful landscape of Malawi, they are also a danger to environment by polluting the ground and being harmful to plants and animals. Plastic that doesn\u2019t end up in the environment usually gets burned since there is no nationwide waste management system. But that also is dangerous as it is a threat to environment as well as health since it causes air pollution by releasing toxic gases.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-da0c0d2\" data-id=\"da0c0d2\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f72933a elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"f72933a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"218\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/coolrunningsmalawi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/1c87a2ee-9f7e-4e52-a06c-b9d6f41f1d39-e1761836026672-218x300.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium wp-image-2590\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/coolrunningsmalawi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/1c87a2ee-9f7e-4e52-a06c-b9d6f41f1d39-e1761836026672-218x300.jpg 218w, https:\/\/coolrunningsmalawi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/1c87a2ee-9f7e-4e52-a06c-b9d6f41f1d39-e1761836026672-743x1024.jpg 743w, https:\/\/coolrunningsmalawi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/1c87a2ee-9f7e-4e52-a06c-b9d6f41f1d39-e1761836026672-768x1058.jpg 768w, https:\/\/coolrunningsmalawi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/1c87a2ee-9f7e-4e52-a06c-b9d6f41f1d39-e1761836026672.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 218px) 100vw, 218px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-87329c3 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"87329c3\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-b26d384\" data-id=\"b26d384\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cba1c7a elementor-widget-tablet__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"cba1c7a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/coolrunningsmalawi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/3740e03b-df39-4345-9695-8c70fa3e5f67-2-1024x768.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-2587\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/coolrunningsmalawi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/3740e03b-df39-4345-9695-8c70fa3e5f67-2-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/coolrunningsmalawi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/3740e03b-df39-4345-9695-8c70fa3e5f67-2-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/coolrunningsmalawi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/3740e03b-df39-4345-9695-8c70fa3e5f67-2-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/coolrunningsmalawi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/3740e03b-df39-4345-9695-8c70fa3e5f67-2-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/coolrunningsmalawi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/3740e03b-df39-4345-9695-8c70fa3e5f67-2.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9f5796c elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"9f5796c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/coolrunningsmalawi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/95350350-fc42-4bbe-bd4f-5f2b130fcfb9-2-1024x768.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-2589\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/coolrunningsmalawi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/95350350-fc42-4bbe-bd4f-5f2b130fcfb9-2-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/coolrunningsmalawi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/95350350-fc42-4bbe-bd4f-5f2b130fcfb9-2-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/coolrunningsmalawi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/95350350-fc42-4bbe-bd4f-5f2b130fcfb9-2-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/coolrunningsmalawi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/95350350-fc42-4bbe-bd4f-5f2b130fcfb9-2-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/coolrunningsmalawi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/95350350-fc42-4bbe-bd4f-5f2b130fcfb9-2.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6a3a995\" data-id=\"6a3a995\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4a7d38b elementor-widget-tablet__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4a7d38b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;\">That\u2019s why Cool Projects in Senga Bay, Salima, opened up the Swop Shop in July 2018. Since then it has been run by motivated Malawian and international volunteers. The idea of Swop Shop is that community members of all ages can collect plastic from the surrounding area, bring it to Swop Shop and swap it for different kinds of goods, according to the slogan: \u201cGet something fantastic for your plastic!\u201d<\/span><br style=\"font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;\"><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;\">At Swop Shop the plastic first gets sorted and cleaned before it then gets weighed. For each collected kg, customers get one point. The points can then be traded into different goods at the shop. The goods offered are: Clothing, school supplies, sweets, hygiene products or bigger items like footballs, football kits or suitcases. For the more expensive items, customers can bank their points and save up.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;\">Every week Swop Shop is collecting hundreds of kgs of plastic which gets&nbsp;<\/span><font face=\"Helvetica\"><span style=\"font-size: 12px;\">transferred to a recycling company in Lilongwe, so that it doesn&#8217;t end up in the environment again.<\/span><\/font><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-8908d54\" data-id=\"8908d54\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-64c9227 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget-tablet__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"64c9227\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"576\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/coolrunningsmalawi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/29f90591-b376-44a5-b8a1-3f1cca7518c9-2-576x1024.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-2588\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/coolrunningsmalawi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/29f90591-b376-44a5-b8a1-3f1cca7518c9-2-576x1024.jpg 576w, https:\/\/coolrunningsmalawi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/29f90591-b376-44a5-b8a1-3f1cca7518c9-2-169x300.jpg 169w, https:\/\/coolrunningsmalawi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/29f90591-b376-44a5-b8a1-3f1cca7518c9-2-768x1365.jpg 768w, https:\/\/coolrunningsmalawi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/29f90591-b376-44a5-b8a1-3f1cca7518c9-2-864x1536.jpg 864w, https:\/\/coolrunningsmalawi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/29f90591-b376-44a5-b8a1-3f1cca7518c9-2.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 576px) 100vw, 576px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Swop Shop &#8220;Get something fantastic for your plastic&#8221; &#8211; the swop shop in Senga Bay Everybody knows them, they can be found everywhere: plastic bags and papers! But they not only destroy the beautiful landscape of Malawi, they are also a danger to environment by polluting the ground and being harmful to plants and animals. &hellip;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"> <a class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/coolrunningsmalawi.com\/index.php\/coolprojects\/swopshop\/\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">SwopShop<\/span> Read More &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":1842,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"no-sidebar","site-content-layout":"page-builder","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"disabled","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"disabled","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/coolrunningsmalawi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2097"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/coolrunningsmalawi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/coolrunningsmalawi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coolrunningsmalawi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coolrunningsmalawi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2097"}],"version-history":[{"count":30,"href":"https:\/\/coolrunningsmalawi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2097\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2618,"href":"https:\/\/coolrunningsmalawi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2097\/revisions\/2618"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coolrunningsmalawi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1842"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/coolrunningsmalawi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2097"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}