Based in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, Ele-Collection works across the town, surrounding communities and wildlife corridors leading towards Hwange National Park. This region is home to extraordinary populations of elephant, buffalo, baboon and countless other species that depend on healthy rivers and habitats.
Ele-Collection removes plastic waste before it reaches these ecosystems, creating meaningful employment for local women while protecting wildlife and restoring the natural environment. The recovered plastic is then transformed into durable construction materials through its innovative Plazrok technology, helping build a cleaner and more resilient future for both people and nature.
The challenge
Victoria Falls receives more than 100 tonnes of plastic waste each month, much of which ends up in rivers, bushland and open spaces surrounding the town. Without effective waste collection systems, plastic is often burned, dumped or carried into the surrounding environment.
For wildlife, the consequences are severe. Elephants, baboons and other animals can ingest discarded plastic while feeding, leading to serious illness or death. Plastic pollution also contaminates waterways, damages fragile ecosystems and diminishes one of Africa’s most celebrated natural destinations. Ele-Collection tackles the problem at its source, and in doing so creates much-needed employment for local women, who often have limited access to secure work.
Ele-Collection’s approach to protecting wildlife and supporting communities in Zimbabwe
Ele-Collection believes plastic waste should become a resource rather than pollution. Its work combines environmental conservation with community-led initiatives, ensuring every kilogram of plastic recovered benefits both nature and local people. Its all-women collection teams recover plastic waste from ecologically sensitive areas before it reaches rivers or wildlife, creating meaningful employment while protecting vulnerable ecosystems.
Collection hubs extending towards Hwange National Park enable surrounding communities to recover plastic before it reaches important wildlife habitats, helping reduce illegal dumping and expand conservation efforts across the region. The recovered plastic is transformed into durable construction materials using Ele-Collection’s technology, ensuring waste is permanently removed from the environment rather than burned or discarded.
Major achievements to date
Ele-Collection’s pioneering approach has received international recognition, including Gold in the Nature Positive category at the WTM Africa Responsible Tourism Awards. The award recognises organisations delivering measurable environmental restoration while creating meaningful benefits for local communities.
How Explorations Company is supporting Ele-Collection
As part of our 2026–27 Impact Cycle, Explorations Company has pledged $10,000 to Ele-Collection, funding the recovery of 10 tonnes of plastic from the landscapes surrounding Victoria Falls.
This represents approximately one million plastic bottles, or more than 1.3 million plastic bags, removed before they can pollute rivers, wildlife habitats or be burned. Our contribution will also create meaningful employment for Ele-Collection’s women-led collection teams while protecting one of Africa’s most important conservation landscapes.
By supporting plastic recovery at source, we are helping Victoria Falls move closer to becoming a zero-plastic destination while protecting wildlife, reducing carbon emissions and strengthening local livelihoods.
How you can engage with Ele-Collection on your holiday
Travellers visiting Victoria Falls can gain a deeper understanding of the environmental challenges facing the region through Ele-Collection’s work.
You can also explore our Zimbabwe journeys and experiences, browse the Impact Collection, or discover other conservation and community experiences across Africa that demonstrate how responsible travel can create lasting positive impact.
