“We are cleaning the environment, because without us, the city will be too dirty,” explains Jane Mago, a waste picker from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Her words underscore the environmental challenges bedeviling much of Africa—from polluted oceans and the menace of plastic bottles to poorly managed waste. These issues are not just local but reflect a bigger, global crisis.
In a world where the devastating effects of climate change and pollution are being witnessed on a regular basis, cleaning up the planet is no longer an option but a responsibility we owe to ourselves and future generations.
But what if caring for the planet didn’t just feel good or seem like the right thing to do, but also had the potential to support yourself or your family?
In response to this, innovative projects are emerging across the African continent, mixing blockchain technology and regenerative finance (ReFi) to incentivise environmental restoration by making it into a profitable activity.
Along Kenya’s coastline, plastic pollution poses a severe threat to marine ecosystems and the livelihoods of coastal communities. Similarly, in Tanzania, rivers and lakes are choked by plastic waste, industrial discharge, and agricultural runoff, exacerbating water scarcity and threatening biodiversity.
Early stage projects like Aquapurge in Kenya and Chatafisha in Tanzania enable everyday people to earn income while tackling these environmental issues.
Aquapurge: Kenya’s blockchain powered beach cleanups
Aquapurge, led by founder Ibrahim Aziz, is tackling Kenya’s ocean pollution crisis with crypto. It incentivizes community-driven cleanup efforts through its PURGE token ecosystem.
Individuals who participate in beach and ocean cleanup activities earn rewards that can be exchanged for cash or used in eco-friendly markets.
“This project is more than just cleaning beaches,” Aziz shared. “It’s about…
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