Makafui Awuku: From plastic waste to purpose – the environmentalist turning trash into transformation

Makafui Awuku’s journey into environmental activism and innovation began not with a grant or a global platform—but with a personal health scare.

As an asthmatic, the constant burning of plastic waste in his community posed a life-threatening danger. “If I didn’t find a solution, they were going to kill me,” he told listeners on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Monday (28 July).

In 2017, everything changed when Makafui became a YALI Fellow under President Obama’s Young African Leaders Initiative. His five-week training in Nigeria exposed him to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and broadened his perspective. “I started thinking, which future do I want—and how do I create it?”

His first major move? Constructing a Christmas tree out of used plastic bottles to spark environmental consciousness in his community. The project went viral.

“That same year, the UN launched its ‘Beat Plastic Pollution’ campaign,” he recalls. “People globally were searching for ideas, and my work kept popping up.” It caught the attention of the British High Commission in Accra, and within a year of starting his journey, Makafui was showcasing his project to Prince Charles (now King Charles III).

But Makafui wasn’t done. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he experimented with turning sachet water bags into a leather-like material suitable for footwear and bags. The result? The launch of the “Mckingtorch” footwear line.

Over the last five years, this evolved into something even more impactful—developing durable, wood-like material from plastic waste, strong enough to create desks and roofing sheets.

Makafui’s innovations are addressing two major challenges simultaneously: Ghana’s growing plastic waste crisis and a dire lack of school infrastructure. “Millions of children study on bare floors. If we can use this waste to create desks and furniture, we keep plastic out of the environment and kids in school,” he explains.

Yet, the scale of change requires support. While Ghana passed its plastic waste policy in 2020—with Makafui contributing to its draft—he believes more investment is needed.

He recalls applying for a government-linked environment fund but requesting a modest amount due to uncertainty about his product. “Today, I’d apply for five million. I know what this material can do.”

Beyond innovation, he champions fair pay and better working conditions for waste collectors—especially women, who make up 60% of the sector but often earn below minimum wage.

Makafui is candid about his mental health journey too, revealing he sought treatment for depression at age 37. “It’s okay to take a break. Continuing isn’t always the solution,” he says.

Today, with a product that can mimic wood and offer solutions for sanitation, education, and shelter, Makafui stands as a testament to resilience and purpose.

“The government, private sector, and society must do more. This is about the future—and the time to act is now.”