From Trash to Transformation: How Students Turned a Fashion Unit Into Community Action

What started as a unit on fashion and sustainability quickly turned into something much deeper: an experience that pushed Grade 10 students to confront the realities of waste, inequality, and their own privilege.

At the center of this shift was Anna Sudra, a visual arts teacher at the International Community School of Addis Ababa (ICS). The project began with a meaningful collaboration between a parent and a teacher. When a parent with ties to the Hub of Africa Fashion Week suggested a fashion-focused unit, Anna leaned in. She launched “Trashion Fashion,” where students designed and created garments from recycled materials. The original goal was artistic, exploring creativity, sustainability, and self-expression through upcycled fashion.

But it didn’t take long for Anna to notice something was off.

“One of the students said, ‘Miss Anna, should I eat more chips so I can get more chip packets for my outfit?’ That’s when I realized they weren’t really getting it.”

Just ten minutes from the school sits Koshe, Addis Ababa’s massive landfill. With the support of Brook Hills, an organization working with children who live and work on the dump, Anna organized a field trip. The experience was eye-opening: towering piles of waste, children scavenging leftover airplane food, families living and surviving amid the trash.

“The impact was immediate,” Anna said. “They came back asking, ‘What can we do?’ It shifted everything.”

From there, the unit took on a life of its own. A second visit followed, this time to learn more about the community and connect with the founder of Brook Hills, a man who grew up on the dump and now advocates for children’s access to education. The class also partnered with Kora for Kids, an organization working to reduce flooding caused by trash-blocked rivers during the rainy season.

“It stopped being just about fashion,” Anna said. “It became about responsibility. About ethics. About justice.”

Students led the way. They organized photo shoots in their handmade outfits, intentionally choosing a location that raised awareness while respecting the dignity of the people who live near Koshe. They raised funds at farmers’ markets to support flood prevention. And in a full-circle moment, they presented their designs at the Hub of Africa Fashion Week, right alongside professional designers.

“My proudest moment,” Anna reflected, “was when they asked to go back to the dump. The first visit, I had to push for. The next ones were completely student-driven.”

The unit also sparked deep reflection. A classroom debate about where to hold the photo shoot raised important ethical questions: Were they raising awareness or risking being disrespectful? The students wrestled with these tensions, consulted community partners, and came to a compromise that honored their intentions and the community.

“They started asking bigger questions about impact, optics, and responsibility.”

What began as a sustainability unit evolved into a layered service learning journey one that blended art, environmental education, ethics, and community partnerships. It wasn’t neat or simple. But it was real.

“It became a beast,” Anna laughed. “But one that mattered.”

And that’s what powerful service learning looks like: responsive, student-led, grounded in community, and driven by a purpose that continues to grow.