Plastic pollution is choking Kenya’s coast, killing marine life, smothering coral reefs, and contaminating food systems. The Mama Karangas are leading the fight to clean beaches and turn waste into income. Empowering brave women like them is key to protecting nature and a future free of plastic.
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Kenya’s coasts are drowning in plastic, with 11 million tons flooding oceans yearly, killing marine life, smothering coral reefs, and contaminating food systems. Kenya’s Marine Litter Action Plan highlights the alarming rate at which debris, including plastic, foam, and rubber, enters Kenya's marine environment, with beaches having up to 5 macro-litter items per square metre. Witnessing the deterioration of the once-pristine beach, Mama Karangas, women fishmongers, are taking action.
With project partner, Oceans Alive, we are empowering Mama Karangas, to fight back, cleaning beaches from plastic waste and discarded fishing nets, saving wildlife habitats, and turning waste into an opportunity. By empowering the women, we can protect wildlife, stop plastic pollution, and secure livelihoods, solving three problems with one solution. By transforming plastic waste into income Mama Karangas can earn more for their families, restore biodiversity, and teach others to do the same.
