Joshua Doku, a fisherman at Kinshasa Beach, he was born into the fishing culture, he learnt fishing from his father . He explains how their nets often tear—caught between chasing fish and dragging up “bolah,” the waste that fills the sea. He recalls a cleaner shoreline 20 years ago, but says pollution has become part of daily life. With fish stocks declining and prices rising, he believes many fishermen—and the government—still show little concern for the growing crisis.

In the early morning, sometimes as early as 12 a.m., the fishermen venture into the deeper parts of the ocean. They return to shore by around 6 a.m. with their catch. While their boats are on the water, the fishermen's sons go into the sea to collect some of the fish for trading. Mr Solomon stepping out of the water with fishes to sell.

The condition of the beach has begun to affect fish reproduction, according to the local fisherman. Research, including information from Google, indicates that waste has a significant impact on fish due to the contamination of water with methane, as well as other forms of water and air pollution. He expressed his concerns about how waste is overwhelming our environment.

Fishermen returning from overnight fishing to sell at the market along the coast connected to the Gulf of Guinea in Kinshasa, Jamestown, Accra, Ghana, which is one of the West African most polluted bodies of water. Marine life suffers and fish is contaminated and harmful to consumers.

The women awaiting for fishermen to return so they can purchase fish and resell it as retailers, at Kinshasa Beach, Jamestown, Accra, Ghana

The Korley Gonna Lagoon interlink with the beach/ The Gulf Guinea at Jamestown, Accra Ghana.

A sample generated from Mr Ayikpa Bright a scientist, thet Korley lagoon connection with the beach sample. The Korle Lagoon’s outflow into the sea reveals dense strands of fibre suspended in the water—pollutants that marine animals ingest and later transport across distant ocean ecosystems.

Katamanto Market sells second-hand clothing at a cheaper rate, although most items are priced above $4. While some of these clothes may not be in the best condition, they often find their way to the Korle Gonno lagoon, which eventually pushes its waste into the ocean because the lagoon is directly connected to the Gulf of Guinea coast.

Offloading imported second-hand clothing—locally called obroni wawu (“dead white man’s clothes”)—at Kantamanto Market. Most of these bales arrive from the UK, China, Canada, and Holland, each marked by colour codes. The green bale, representing the UK, is the most expensive, yet still contains at least 40% waste.

Agneta Boateng, a trader at Kantamanto who specializes in women’s clothing, describes how she now spends hours re-sorting bales that exporters in the UK claim were already sorted. She says the reality is different: more of the clothes arrive torn, stained, or completely unsellable. With each bale, she loses money—forced to sell the damaged pieces at extremely low prices or discard them entirely.

Agneta Boateng in the kantamanto market selling the customers in Accra Ghana

A reciept from Agneta Boateng of the amount she buys the bail she sells.

Agneta Boateng (middle), with her daughter Joycelin Ahenkorah (left) and son Chriss Ahenkorah(right). “I learnt this trade from my aunty, selling second-hand clothes,” she says. “But now I can’t teach my children because it’s no longer profitable—the bales come with too much bolleh (waste).

The textile waste I observed on Kinshasa Beach in Jamestown, Accra, Ghana, along the coastal region that connects to the Gulf of Guinea.

Each Tuesday, the community group Tide Turners takes responsibility for cleaning Kinshasa Beach in Accra, Ghana, removing textile waste that accumulates along the shore.

Textile waste is shredded into a powder-like form to produce fibre boards by or foundation, an effort aimed at reducing the volume of discarded fabrics entering the waters of Accra, Ghana.

shredded clothes into powder form sorted in colors with cassava glue to create fibre boards.

workers of the Or foundation in the creation of fibre board at Accra Ghana

Najat Yakubu and Abubarkarah Habibah creating fibre board at the Or Foundation warehouse in Accra, Ghana.

The or Foundation Warehouse where textile waste are been transformed into fibre board that are used in manufacturing local made speakers, Acoustic panels at Adabraka, Accra, Ghana

Local made speakers, and Acoustic panels made out of textile waste by Or foundation, at Accra Ghana

Fuziemata Dumah, Ayisha Shani, Fatimah Baatun working with the Winneba weavers to convert Tshirt into tarns for clothes, Bags in design form to reduce textile waste at Accra Ghana.

A gown made out of Tshirts through Tarning. this is made by Winneba weavers at Accra Ghana.

Alex Agyei-Agykum, a Kantamanto tailor, working to transform discarded clothing into upcycled pieces for resale at Accra, Ghana.

Now in its fourth year, the OR Foundation’s Obroni Wawu (OWO) Festival champions upcycling and raises awareness about textile waste in Accra, Ghana.

A bag made out of a nike shoes at Kantamanto market, Accra, Ghana.

Sunday Afternoon, youths who are majorly young fishermen Playing soccer at the Kinshasa beach, at Jamestown, Accra, Ghana.

A fish buyer is carrying fish out of Jamestown Beach in Accra, Ghana.

The Pot of soup of Mrs Felicia Nettey, a trader who complained of the cost of fish and why she prepared craps that day to feed the family at mamprobi, Accra, Ghana.