Photo: UN Photo | Mark Garten
In Dakar, Senegal, one man has taken it upon himself to breathe new life into a place many had abandoned. Where mountains of plastic waste once sprawled, a green oasis has sprung up, thanks to his relentless determination. Modou Fall, known as the “Plastic Man,” embodies a struggle that goes beyond recycling. He is an activist, educator, and campaigner for a cleaner planet and a more sustainable future. In 2020, when the world was grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic, Modou Fall was on a different mission. Medina, his neighborhood, which was once a vibrant and bustling place, had become neglected and seen the exodus of its inhabitants. After several floods, the area became a dumping ground. “At first, there was nothing but garbage and a few crumpling walls,” he recounts. “But I knew something could be done about it.” With a team of volunteers, he began to transform the space by planting trees, setting up educational displays and repurposing discarded materials. Cleaning up waste was just the beginning, Fall wanted to change mindsets through raising awareness. He quips: “The problem isn’t just the garbage we throw away, but our relationship with plastic.” He aims to educate the younger generation in how to clean up our environment and reuse waste, giving it a new life.
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