Dopper, a Dutch Social Enterprise selling reusable water bottles, is on a mission towards a world with crystal clear water in every ocean and from every tap. Therefore, they launch initiatives like the Dopper Changemaker Challenge Junior, which is an international competition for children aged 8 to 12 that challenges them to develop solutions to single-use plastic pollution in our oceans.
Children have unlimited imagination and creativity, which – if guided well – can lead to brilliant solutions. It is important that children learn that their input is valued and taken seriously. The international competition – held in UK, the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and Nepal – is both accessible for teachers, who can take part with their pupils, and for children independently. Provided educational materials are designed specifically to guide them through every step on their way leading to genius solutions! Children can upload their sketches on the Dopper website where they have a platform they deserve to display their ideas and solutions. Also, a winner is announced by a jury and together a prototype of their solution is built and displayed in public. The initiative supports teachers‘ learning objectives and at the same time children get the chance to grow and expand their skill set. They develop their creativity, collaboration skills and readiness to deal with complex futures and embrace a changemaker attitude.