Three years ago, two young men began walking the streets of Mwanza, Tanzania’s second-largest city, sacks in hand, collecting discarded plastics. With no machines, no funding, and some hope, Patrick John Kipesha and Ignatius Anchar Mushi soldiered on, driven by a simple conviction of keeping their neighbourhood clean.
What started as an almost solitary endeavour would later gain momentum in April 2023 when the duo formally registered Eco Recycling, a community-based organisation to build a sustainable plastic collection and buy-back system.
At the time, they were barely collecting half a tonne of plastic waste each week. As word spread, waste pickers began to join in. Volumes increased, and the modest ambition of cleaning up a single neighbourhood slowly evolved into a city-wide intervention.
“It’s unbelievable now, what started as a personal conviction has, over the past few years, grown into a community solution,” Kipesha said.
Today, the initiative he started with Ignatius operates under Eco-Friendly Recycling (ERF), working closely with young people and women from surrounding communities, creating income opportunities through plastic collection, sorting and resale.
Collected waste is sold to nearby factories, where it re-enters the production cycle as raw material.
“Many people still see plastic as something to throw away, not as a resource,” Kipesha said.
To change this perception, ERF blends community education with financial incentives, working alongside local leaders and schools to promote plastic segregation and recovery.
As of 2025, ERF diverts between 30 and 50 tonnes of plastic waste every month, which is roughly 500 tonnes annually, away from landfills and open dumping sites.
The organisation estimates it has created between 10 and 60 direct and indirect income opportunities. – Bird Story Agency.
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