Tiganokinisi Caravan: the flagship of AKTI’s educational activities!

What is Tiganokinisi
Tiganokinisi’ is an educational-environmental program that promotes sustainability and environmental responsibility through the collection of harmful used cooking oil (UCO). Through this programme, students learn how UCO can be transformed into biodiesel, and schools gain resources for environmental education and support of their environmental infrastructure, for the benefit of students all over Cyprus! At the same time, through the programme, green jobs are promoted and young, unemployed scientists are recruited!
Tiganokinisi is developed and implemented by the non-profit, non governmental organization AKTI Project and Research Centre in collaboration with the Unit for Education for the Environment and Sustainable Development (EESD) and is under the auspices of the Ministry of Education.
Supported by Chevron Corporation’s CSR Grant, the program educates 80,000 students and 4,000 members of the public annually.
Tiganokinisi in numbers

How did everything start?
Tiganokinisi started as a pilot application in 5 schools during the school year 2012–2013 and was expanded to include today over 500 schools, corresponding to approximately 98% of the primary and secondary schools in Cyprus. The novelty of Tiganokinisi is the close link between environmental education and the provision of funds to schools through the sale of the collected UCO. To date, over 500,000 Euros have been distributed to Cypriot schools and over 900 actions have been implemented with this money.
National and International Awards
In 2021, Tiganokinisi received the Exemplifying Quality Award at the GENE Global Education Award 2021.
-In 2020, Tiganokinisi was recognized by the European Commission as one of the EU’s best practices in Social Innovation, representing Cyprus.
-Awarded an SME Instrument Phase I Grant in 2018.
-Recognized as a Best Practice in Social Entrepreneurship by the Women’s Economic Forum in New Delhi, India, in 2016.
-Shortlisted in ELSEVIER’s 2015 Green and Sustainable Chemistry Contest.
Who can contribute to Tiganokinisi?
Everyone can support this effort. We can all collect oil that has been used for frying, cooking in the oven, found in tuna cans or salads in a rigid container, and pass it on to a student of our neighborhood, who will in turn take it to the school.
After being informed and more aware, citizens actively participate in transforming a very harmful waste, such as the used cooking oil which can destroy aquifers, pollute the ground, and clog the pipes and the sewerage system, into a fuel, and promote development and progress. Our goal is that ‘Tiganokinisi’ becomes part of the citizens’ everyday life!
Watch our videos!
What is Tiganokinisi?
Tiganokinisi Caravan visits schools all over Cyprus!
Meet the Team
Internship experience
Tiganokinisi at festivals and events