Daniel Baraka is a green entrepreneur from Kinshasa, DR Congo, with over six years of experience empowering youth to create sustainable businesses that tackle environmental challenges. He is a 2023 Mandela Washington Alumnus and serves as Executive Director of the WAZA Green Hub. This initiative offers regenerative solutions to environmental crises by providing skills and resources in recycling, agriculture, and clean energy to Congolese youth, enabling them to create green innovations that generate jobs and protect our planet.
Daniel has personally recycled over 600,000 plastic bottles, transforming them into vital sitting structures, training rooms in Kinshasa, and school libraries. To date, his efforts have trained over 1,300 people in leadership, green entrepreneurship, and environmental awareness.
Daniel holds a Bacc+5 (equivalent to a Master’s degree) in environmental management, and has also mentored 500 young people, including those with disabilities and conflict-affected youth, helping establish 32 innovative social businesses. His driving vision is an Africa where the green economy ensures a safe planet and fulfilling jobs for all, with ambitious plans for expansion across the DRC and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Daniel BARAKA
Reinventing Plastic Bottles
male
Creative Design
01/17/1997
WazaGreen's "Reinvest Plastic Bottles" submission proposes a creative transformation of plastic waste into aesthetic and functional bench spaces, conducive to rest, reflection, and sharing. What began as a simple trash can has transformed into two impactful creations: a circular flower bench and a circular tree seat, both made entirely from used plastic bottles. Installed in schools, campuses, and public spaces, these structures bring nature and community together while highlighting the hidden potential of what we throw away. More than just recycled furniture, they are symbols of renewal, proof that even waste can become inspiring, inclusive, and vibrant. Through this project, I hope to spark imagination, restore our connection with the environment, and show the world that every bottle has a second chance, just like us.
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