Sophie Diop

Pioneering environmental activist leading Africa's fight against plastic pollution

Sophie Diop (b.1985) is a Senegalese environmentalist and founder of the organization WasteAid Africa, making her one of the most influential figures in Africa's environmental movement. Through her innovative 'Plastic to Profit' initiative, she has transformed Senegal's plastic waste problem into economic opportunities for local communities. Her work has diverted over 20 million kg of plastic from West African landfills since 2015.

Diop's groundbreaking approach combines grassroots education with industrial partnerships, creating recycling cooperatives that pay fishermen to collect ocean plastic instead of fishing. This model has reduced marine plastic pollution by 40% in Dakar's coastal areas while providing sustainable livelihoods for 3,000+ women. Her TED Talk Turning Plastic Waste into Prosperity has been viewed over 2.1 million times.