Changemaker Spotlight:

Plastic Warriors of Mombasa – Building Business, Cleaning the Coast

Author

Joseph Mwangi
July 02, 2025

The Buzz:

In Mombasa, where plastic waste clogs drainage systems and floats along our beaches, a new kind of warrior has emerged. They’re young, bold, and business-minded. And they're not just cleaning up — they’re building a greener future.

From Waste to Wealth

The Mombasa Plastics Prize (MPP) Incubator, launched by Challenge Works, USAID, and Taka Taka Ni Mali, has nurtured nine youth-led teams turning plastic problems into profit.

These teams are tackling waste at the grassroots, creating eco-solutions like:

  1. Building materials made from plastic

  2. Clean cooking gas from plastic waste

  3. Yarn and thread from recycled bottles

  4. 3D-printed tools from upcycled filament

Since 2023, they’ve recycled 23+ tonnes of plastic and created 545 green jobs, mostly for vulnerable youth in places like Likoni, Kisauni, and Changamwe.

What Makes It Sweet:

  1. Practical impact — cleaner communities

  2. Job creation — youth leading the charge

  3. Innovation — real products, real businesses

“We wanted to clean up our neighborhood and give young people something to believe in. Now we’re employing others and training schools on recycling,” says Aisha, a 22-year-old founder from Majengo.

Wanna Get Involved?

  1. Buy from the businesses

  2. Help them market, brand or pitch

  3. Feature them in your CSR project

  4. Invite them to schools or youth forums

Streets of Hope salutes these young heroes — proving that when we equip youth with opportunity, they won’t just survive — they’ll rebuild the future.