MJDEnsina: Bringing Environmental Awareness to Schools

MJDEnsina, MJD's environmental awareness programme aimed at the school community, presented an interactive theatre play specifically designed for 3rd-grade primary school students this academic year.

The choice of format was intentional. At this age, environmental messages take root far better through active engagement than passive explanation. "Reciclas' Mission" tells the story of Mr João Sucateiro, who collects materials as it has always been done — the old-fashioned way, guided by habit rather than knowledge. That is until Reciclas appears to show him, and everyone watching, how much the sector has evolved and how things are done properly today: separating correctly, routing each material to its proper destination, and respecting environmental rules. In this moment, Mr João learns alongside the children, which forms the core moral of the play.

Students sing, answer, take the stage, and help solve the story. At the end of each session, every child receives a small educational game to practice at home what they learned from the performance.

There is an echo of our own history in this play: MJD was born in 1992 from a family of scrap dealers. We know firsthand the journey that separates Mr João from a fully licensed, certified, and technologically advanced operation — because it is the exact journey we walked. Sharing it with eight-year-old children through music and humour feels like the most honest way to explain what the circular economy truly means.

MJDEnsina remains open to new schools interested in hosting the project. Contact us via phone at +351 229 820 742 or email at ambiente@mjd.pt.