Ambitious man turns garbage into source of hope for jobless youths

For most people, garbage means just that. Garbage. But this is not the case for David Mwangi. Garbage holds a special place in his heart. 

He ekes his living from collecting, sorting and recycling garbage in Mtwapa, Kilifi county.

Mwangi began his garbage collection venture in 2004 and in 2009, he registered a company, Keens Cleaners, to collect garbage around the estate.

“After abandoning the matatu industry, I started this venture. I employed many youths and that is why I decided to establish the Mtwapa Environment Association, which currently has 40 members. We create awareness on the importance of responsible waste disposal,” he said. 

And, through his organisation, Mtwapa Environment Association, Mwangi has employed 18 youths, who are paid for plastic waste and solid waste collection and recycling.

“Through the waste collection project, there are those who earn Sh 400 daily after collecting garbage, while those working at the farm are paid Sh 350 a day and the office staff get paid at the end of the month,” says Mwangi.

To Mwangi, no waste is useless. He uses plastic bottles to plant flowers, fruits and trees on a farm donated by an investor. From the solid waste, he makes composite organic manure.

“Waste collection is a job. We recycle waste and give it value so that it doesn’t go down the drain. Plastic is good but how we utilize it has made it hazardous. We need to train ourselves on the importance of disposing of plastic in the right way,” says Mwangi.

Every Saturday, Mwangi and his crew retrieve at least two tonnes of waste plastic from the beaches, which they at times sell to the Chinese, though the price is low and demoralizing.

“We sell some of the plastics to the Chinese but if we could get a machine to crush and mould the plastics, we can convert the same into tables, chairs and poles instead of cutting down trees,” says Mwangi.

He says after discovering that many people love flowers, he embarked on a journey of planting different types of flowers and trees.

At his farm, sits various species of trees like the hibiscus, moringa tree, cayenne, rosemary, lavender, nandi glame purple-heart among others. 

Mwangi is also keen to conserve depleted fruit and tree species facing extinction.

“At the Coast, we have seen a decline in indigenous trees like kunazi, Mmibuyu, Zzambarao and moringa, which are valuable,” says Mwangi.,

Mwangi, a beneficiary of the World Wide Fund (WWF) Circular Economy project, says the training on waste management has been instrumental in the region.