It was a quiet Sunday night in 2023 when Steven Otieno decided he had nothing left to live for.

The weight of a low-paying security job, mounting responsibilities, and a silent battle with depression had pushed him to the edge. As he stood alone with dark thoughts spinning, the image of his three-year-old son flashed in his mind. Then, as if by fate, a message from a friend arrived—an invitation to a local charity meeting.

That moment became the beginning of a different story. One of redemption, resilience, and relentless cleanup.

Today, Steven is known throughoutc Kilifi County in Mnarani ward as “Mr. Zero Plastic”—an environmental warrior who walks the dusty roads and sandy shores, picking up plastic waste by hand. His message is simple: “I clean the streets the way I cleaned up my life.”

Steven’s story doesn’t begin with recognition or awards. It begins in the night—literally. Working the yard shift as a security guard at a local business, he spent his days sleeping and his nights in silence.

“People would see me smiling, but inside, I was drowning,” he says.

The breaking point came in mid-2023, when Steven contemplated ending his life. But the invitation to join Baha Madzo Charity, a grassroots organization focused on youth empowerment and community service, offered a flicker of hope.

At his first meeting, he barely spoke. But he listened. He watched. He saw young people—many just like him—planning cleanups, distributing food, and planting trees. Something clicked.

“I realized I wasn’t useless,” he says. “I just hadn’t found my purpose yet.

It didn’t take long for Steven to throw himself into the work. What started as joining cleanups quickly turned into organizing them. Within one week, he became vice-chairperson and within one week he became chairperson in the organization. His dedication earned him trust by the charity organization—Chairperson of the Environment Committee.

In late 2023, the team launched a new campaign: Zero Plastic, aimed at eliminating plastic waste in Kilifi through beach cleanups, community sensitization, and education. Their slogan being: “usafi wa mazingira ni jukumu letu sote”.

Steven became the face of the campaign. Clad in an overall trouser and gumboots, he could be seen pulling plastic bottles, food wrappers, and discarded flip-flops from roadsides and riverbanks.

“People started calling me Mr. Zero Plastic,” he laughs. “At first it was a joke—but I took it seriously.”

Under his leadership, the Zero Plastic team expanded their efforts to schools, conducting environmental clubs and tree planting events. They held community cleanups every weekend—rain or shine—and even launched “Community Editions”, where each cleanup focused on a different neighborhood, inviting locals to take ownership.

One of Steven’s proudest moments came in February 2024 during a cleanup in Mnarani old ferry. In a single day, the team collected over 600 kilograms of plastic waste—an eye-opening amount for a small town. The waste was sorted by type, recycled where possible, and data logged for future awareness campaigns and taken by municipality of kilifi county.

Zero Plastic’s impact grew quickly. The initiative collaborated with Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) to manage organic waste and repurpose plastic into building materials. They revived village barazas, where elders and youth discussed environmental challenges and local solutions.

In April 2024, the group launched a bold challenge: 7 cleanups in 7 days across 7 towns in Kilifi County. The campaign mobilized hundreds of volunteers and created viral attention on social media.

“We don’t have funding or flashy equipment, our fundings comes from our own pockets” Steven says. “We have brooms, sacks, and hearts.”

But their data-backed activism was about more than optics. As you know that in every year 3 million tons of plastic waste is produced every year. something that has become a very major concern in our world today.  According to a 2022 UNEP report, Kenya generates over 480,000 tons of plastic waste annually, with only 9% recycled. Kilifi’s coastline bears the pressure—polluting marine life, clogging drainage systems, and increasing health risks.

Steven’s message was direct: “Environment has no borders. If we don’t stop plastic pollution, we’re not just poisoning our land—we’re poisoning our children’s future.” For Steven, environmental work became more than just a job—it became therapy.

“I used to wake up with no reason to leave the house,” he says. “Now I wake up excited to clean.”

His mental health improved with each cleanup. The structure, the teamwork, and the daily sense of purpose helped him move from despair to drive. He found a community where there had been loneliness. Action replaced anxiety. Leadership replaced shame.

Even his relationship with his family, strained by years of emotional distance, began to heal.

“My son is proud of me now,” he smiles. 

Steven hopes his story will inspire other men struggling silently. “We’re taught to keep quiet, to man up. But real strength is asking for help and finding your purpose,” he says. “You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to show up.”

Despite the momentum, challenges persist. The Zero Plastic campaign operates on a shoestring budget—often relying on donations, out-of-pocket costs, and the sale of branded Zero Plastic T-shirts to raise funds for gloves, sacks, and transportation.

Government support remains minimal. Licensing laws for waste management in Kenya are strict, making it hard for grassroots groups to scale operations legally. Attempts to partner with the county government have stalled in corridors of power.

“It’s frustrating,” Steven admits. “We’re doing the government’s job for free, and we’re blocked instead of supported.”

He believes the solution lies in collaboration. His dream is to organize a Kilifi Climate Summit, bringing together youth, elders, government, and NGOs to forge a sustainable, community-driven path forward.

Steven knows he may never win international awards or make headlines in Nairobi. But that’s not why he does it.

“Every plastic bottle I pick up is one less choking a turtle,” he says. “Every child I teach about recycling is one more future leader.”

His goal is simple: to leave Kilifi cleaner than he found it—and to help people like him find their second chance.

“You don’t need a title or salary to change your world,” he says. “Just show up for something you care about. For me, it’s the environment. It saved me—and now I want to save it.”