Ugandan Youth Leader Tackles Plastic Pollution Through Community Action

In Uganda’s growing environmental crisis, a young woman is rising to the challenge with determination and innovation. Tabo Samali Nawaguna, a climate activist and founder of Pure Earth Organization, is leading grassroots efforts to combat plastic pollution and improve environmental health across Ugandan communities.

At just 26 years old, Samali has mobilized hundreds of young people and local leaders to address one of Uganda’s most pressing environmental threats—plastic waste.

“I started Pure Earth after seeing how plastic pollution was affecting people’s health in my community,” Samali told Green Planet Voices. “Children were getting sick, cholera outbreaks were increasing, and our drainage systems were clogged. I couldn’t just watch.”

Pure Earth Organization has launched school-based environmental programs, tree-planting campaigns, and community clean-ups in several districts. The group also partners with government ministries and grassroots organizations to promote waste recycling and reduce plastic use.

In recent years, plastic waste has become a major issue in Uganda’s urban and rural areas, choking waterways, polluting soil, and contributing to health hazards. According to environmental experts, poor waste disposal is directly linked to disease outbreaks, including cholera and diarrhea—conditions Samali witnessed firsthand while conducting university research in Jinja.

“That field experience changed me,” she said. “It opened my eyes to the scale of the crisis and pushed me to act.”

With support from environmental agencies and fellow youth activists, Samali’s work has reached dozens of schools and communities, where she teaches the importance of environmental conservation and climate action.

“We’re teaching students to reduce, reuse, and recycle. We’ve planted trees, built partnerships, and even empowered women in communities to earn from recycling,” she said.

Environmental health and climate change, she adds, are deeply intertwined.

“When waste is mismanaged, it pollutes our water, our air, and leads to illness. Climate change makes it worse by increasing floods and extreme weather, which spread this waste even further.”

Despite the challenges, Samali is optimistic about the future. Her vision is to return Uganda to a cleaner, greener era, where sustainable practices are part of daily life.

“Our grandparents lived in harmony with nature—they used natural materials and lived without plastic. We can learn from that,” she said. “I want to see a generation that values and protects the environment.”

Her message to fellow youth is clear:

“Start where you are. Believe in your voice. You don’t need to wait to be older to make a difference. Environmental change starts with us.”

As Uganda works to meet its climate and sustainability goals, voices like Samali’s are playing a critical role in shaping the future. Through grassroots leadership and relentless dedication, Pure Earth is proving that young people are not just the leaders of tomorrow—they are leading today.