Around 20 to 30 middle and high school students associated with Challengers Group Trust have created approximately 250 bird shelters and feeders using discarded and reused materials.
The activity began on April 15, 2026, as part of the organisation’s “Waste to Best” initiative, according to a written first-party response shared with Pulse of Noida.
The organisation said the units were installed as well as distributed for use in Noida Sectors 12, 58 and 71, and Gaur City in Greater Noida West.
Waste to Best initiative at a glance
| Detail | Confirmed information |
|---|---|
| Activity began | April 15, 2026 |
| Units created | Approximately 250 |
| Type of units | Bird shelters and feeders |
| Participants | Around 20 to 30 middle and high school students |
| Materials | Reused plastic bottles, cardboard, jute and MDF |
| Locations | Noida Sectors 12, 58 and 71, and Gaur City |
| Coordinator | Prince Sharma, Founder and President, Challengers Group Trust |
| Current status | Units installed as well as distributed |
| Maintenance | Monitored and maintained by the organisation’s team |
Plastic bottles, cardboard and jute given a second use
Students used discarded plastic bottles, cardboard, jute and medium-density fibreboard, commonly known as MDF, to build the shelters and feeders.
The activity was directly connected with Challengers Group Trust’s “Plastic Lao, Shiksha Pao” initiative.
Under the programme, students are encouraged to collect and reuse discarded materials while learning about responsible waste handling and environmental awareness.
The bird shelters and feeders are an example of reuse or repurposing, rather than conventional recycling. Instead of processing discarded material into a new raw material, the students adapted existing objects into structures intended for community use.
Environmental learning beyond the classroom
The activity was coordinated by Prince Sharma, Founder and President of Challengers Group Trust.
According to the organisation, the objective was to help students understand that discarded material can sometimes be creatively reused instead of being immediately thrown away.
“Through Waste to Best, we wanted children to understand that waste is not always something to throw away. By creatively reusing discarded materials to make bird shelters and feeders, students are learning environmental responsibility while making a small but meaningful contribution to urban biodiversity,” Sharma said in a statement shared with Pulse of Noida.
The initiative combines craft-based learning with lessons in waste reuse, responsibility towards animals and community participation.
It also gives students a practical outcome from environmental education. Materials that might otherwise have been discarded were turned into visible structures intended to support birds in neighbourhood spaces.
Units installed and distributed across four localities
Challengers Group Trust said the approximately 250 units were installed or distributed across:
- Sector 12, Noida
- Sector 58, Noida
- Sector 71, Noida
- Gaur City, Greater Noida West
The organisation has not provided a location-wise breakdown of how many shelters or feeders were placed or distributed at each location.
The units should therefore be described collectively as being used across the four identified localities, rather than stating that all 250 units were installed at each site.
Who will maintain the shelters and feeders?
Challengers Group Trust said its team is responsible for monitoring and maintaining the installed units.
This includes cleaning them and checking that they remain suitable for birds.
Maintenance is important because outdoor feeders and shelters can become damaged, dirty or unsafe if they are not regularly checked. Units made from reused plastic, cardboard, jute or MDF may also require replacement or repair after exposure to rain, heat and wind.
The long-term value of the initiative will therefore depend not only on how many units were created, but also on whether they remain securely installed, clean and usable.
What residents and schools can learn from the activity
The initiative offers a simple model that schools, housing societies and community groups may adapt through supervised environmental activities.
Similar projects should ensure that:
- discarded materials are cleaned before reuse
- structures do not have sharp edges or loose strings
- feeders are securely attached
- damaged or weathered units are removed
- food and water containers are cleaned regularly
- responsibility for maintenance is assigned in advance
A structure should not be described as environmentally beneficial merely because it is made from waste. It must also be safe, durable and responsibly maintained.
A practical waste-awareness lesson for Noida
The activity connects with the wider discussion around waste segregation and responsible reuse in Noida.
Residents and housing societies can also read Pulse of Noida’s guide on what RWAs and bulk waste generators should check, including the separation and management of different categories of household waste.
Pulse of Noida has also explained how citizen participation and community reporting contribute to Noida’s cleanliness efforts.
For the participating students, the Waste to Best activity provides a practical lesson: responsible waste management is not limited to disposing of material correctly. Selected items may also be safely repurposed when the resulting structures have a clear purpose and a maintenance plan.
Source and verification note
The principal facts in this article were confirmed by Challengers Group Trust in a written response received by Pulse of Noida on August 4, 2026.
The approximate count, locations, participant details, materials, maintenance arrangements and statement from Prince Sharma are attributed to the organisation.
Pulse of Noida has not independently counted the units or assessed their condition at every installation location.
Contact Challengers Group Trust
Residents, schools and community groups seeking more information about the Waste to Best initiative may contact Challengers Group Trust:
Website: challengersgroup.org
Email: challengersgroupofficial@gmail.com
Phone/WhatsApp: +91 88825 50556
Instagram: @challengersgroupofficial
Facebook: Challengers Group Official
Office: 1st Floor, Shop No. 9, Baraat Ghar, near C Block, Chaura Raghunathpur, Sector 22, Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201307.
