Dentsu Zambia turns billboards into backpacks in bold sustainability move

For this year’s One Day for Change, dentsu Zambia partnered with Primedia to turn discarded billboard vinyl into handcrafted school backpacks. Made by local women in Lusaka, the bags were filled with supplies and delivered to children at the Home of Love orphanage offering both practical support and a message of hope.

PVC billboards are built to last but are difficult to dispose of. By repurposing this tough material, the team avoided waste and put circular design into action. The project not only tackled environmental impact but also supported women’s livelihoods through meaningful, paid work.

This initiative marked the launch of dentsu Zambia’s rotational leadership model for One Day for Change, led this year by account leads Loziwe Kancheya and Priscilla Kangwa. Their work highlighted the power of shared ownership and collaboration within the agency.

A full impact report is on the way, measuring bags produced, vinyl reused, and emissions saved. “When a billboard comes down, the story shouldn’t end,” said managing director Chishimba Musonda. “This is about turning creativity into real, lasting change.”