Makafui Awuku, Founder of McKingtorch Africa, is tackling Ghana’s plastic waste challenge head-on by transforming discarded pure water sachets and bottles into functional furniture and home décor.
Speaking on Ghana Grows Edwuma with host Araba Koomson, Mr. Awuku revealed that his journey began in November 2017 while interning with an NGO. Disturbed by the sight of plastics left behind after meetings, he asked the cleaners to collect them, not knowing what to do next. “There are two types of artists. Some start with concepts, but I start with the material. I look at it, then decide what can be created. That’s how I made my first Christmas tree from plastic bottles,” he said.
The experiment soon gained public attention when he displayed the tree on a busy street in Madina, drawing thousands of curious onlookers. His work later caught global interest, eventually earning him an invitation to showcase his creations before the then-Prince of Wales.
Mr. Awuku admitted the journey has not been without challenges. From public resistance to buying products made from waste to limited funding opportunities, he noted that perseverance has been his greatest tool. “The most successful projects are not the ones with the best idea. They are the ones that stayed the course,” he explained.
Beyond creating furniture, McKingtorch Africa is also empowering the next generation. The McKingtorch Africa founder has trained more than 15,000 young people across Ghana, Nigeria, and Liberia, while also supporting women in Zambia and Zimbabwe in establishing branches of the initiative.
He urged young entrepreneurs to register their projects, seek training, and most importantly, believe in their own vision.
“I realized that the future I wanted was one without pollution. Nobody was going to create it for me. I had to start,” he said.
About Ghana Grows Edwuma
Ghana Grows Edwuma is a nationwide broadcast aired on TV and radio, aimed at encouraging young people to take up career opportunities in the agribusiness, agriculture, and ATVET sectors.
By Faustina Yeboah