Kenyans React to Photo of Student Carrying Back to School Shopping on Banana Leaves Following Plastics Ban

A photo of a female student carrying her back to school shopping on an improvised bag made of dried banana leaves has excited Kenyans on social media on Wednesday morning, with a majority of them calling on National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) to make her a plastic bags ban ambassador.

With ban on plastic bags in Kenya taking effect last Monday, Kenyans were forced to seek alternative ways of, but Hilda Gaceri Bundi, a form student at Materi Girls in Tunyai, Tharaka Nithi County has caught the eye of Kenyans with her rare 'shopping bag.'

It is a norm in her home village in Keria village, Nkubu to use improvise bags to carry yams and she decided to extend the norm by carrying her shopping on the banana leaves bag, an environment friendly bag.

When journalists caught up with her, she confessed spending her entire morning making one ahead of reporting to school for third term at 3 p.m, Tuesday.

She said she had no bag and purchasing one would cost her Kshs. 200.

"Kila mtu ni binadamu hakuna haja ya kuogopa", she convinced herself.

She later rushed to Juber Supermarket in Nkubu Town, purchased a few personal items and run to school in time for 5 p.m deadline. She has no idea who took her pics that are now doing rounds online.

Kenyans online praised the young girl and many have promised to facilitate some of her needs.

"For creativity and fighting the odds... I offer a coupon for her school fees" Waititu said.
"I offer to buy her a backpack. Let me know how I can help ".

Cherotich Carren Kiki said "She deserves recognition from Ministry of Environment & NEMA". (A Nema official has expressed interest in reaching the girl).

Purity Wanjiru wrote: "First I love her courage and creativity. I honestly love this. She's a brilliant girl. I'm sure if we were to follow closely she must be a very bright one in class ".

GIKERI THOMAS said: "To me I see a very confident girl bearing in mind the ridicule she would get from her peers being a digital generation. She must be commended for being bold ".

Shujaa Samuel Kathoni Mutong writes: "Wangari Maathai in the making. I agree with those who suggest art and craft should be reintroduced ".
Maria George said: "No one is saying the girl invented the bag...we are praising the courage to confidently fall back on such a traditional but environment-friendly way of transporting her wares to school.
And it is a big deal to adults who are complaining endlessly about the ban...yet we have available alternatives".