The Academy was organized by ARNO Organization for Social Innovation
as part of the project supported by the European Union through the EU Support for Civil Society and Media Organizations in the Republic of North Macedonia, IPA Civil Society Facility 2022–2023. The project is implemented by People in Need – PIN (lead partner), in cooperation with ARNO, Leaders for Education, Activism and Development, and Ekovita NGO.
Our concept transforms what is typically discarded — agricultural waste — into a valuable resource. Too often, these materials end up burned, polluting our air and soil. Instead, we repurpose them through a simple, efficient, and eco-friendly process to produce biodegradable drinking straws. These straws reduce plastic waste and become part of a wider regenerative cycle.
After use, our straws don’t become waste — quite the opposite. Collected along with food waste from restaurants, markets, and stores, they are delivered to local compost producers. In this second life, the straws become a raw material for organic fertilizer. The circle comes full when part of the fertilizer returns to the farmers growing grain, completing a fully sustainable and locally managed circular model.
Through this idea, we’re not just reducing pollution — we’re creating value, supporting local economies, contributing to regenerative and inclusive agriculture, and championing a green economy rooted in social responsibility, collaboration, and innovation.
