By Salah Abudu
My name is Salah Abudu, from Accra, and I recently graduated with a Bachelor’s in Public Health Nursing from the University of Ghana, with a focus on environmental health and hygiene. But my journey to this point was far from easy, shaped by a personal experience with lead exposure that continues to drive my advocacy today as part of the Chemicals and Waste Youth Platform—the world’s largest youth network advocating for a future free of hazardous chemicals, waste, and pollution.
Starting at age 14, I worked as a head porter in Accra, earning a small daily wage carrying goods across bustling markets. After long, exhausting days, I slept homeless on the streets of Agbogbloshie, known as one of the world’s largest e-waste scrapyards. There, mountains of discarded electronics were burned and dismantled, filling the air with toxic smoke and exposing children like me to dangerous chemicals, including lead.
We inhaled noxious fumes daily, and many of my friends, especially young scrap pickers, fell ill. I've had cuts from e-waste and gotten sick from exposure, as well as regularly battling malaria and cholera like many of my colleagues. Living and working in such hazardous conditions robbed so many of us of our health and potential. No child should have to endure this simply because of where they live or their circumstances.
Children and youth are often exposed to multiple harmful chemicals simultaneously, as I experienced in Agbogbloshie. Policies must reflect this reality, centering children’s needs and ensuring environmental health protections are consistent and robust.
Salah Abudu, 26-year-old, Ghana
Determined to create a better future, I began working with Purim African Youth Development Platform, a local NGO that empowers marginalized girls in Accra. Through community-based programs, we taught waste management, environmental hygiene, and financial literacy while advocating for safer living conditions. With their support and funding from the UN Population Fund, I pursued my education, equipping myself to improve the health and rights of children and youth in my community.
Now, as an advocate, I call for global action to eliminate lead exposure and prioritize children’s environmental health. Initiatives like the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead Paint and the Partnership for a Lead-Free Future are critical, but they must go further. Children and youth are often exposed to multiple harmful chemicals simultaneously, as I experienced in Agbogbloshie. Policies must reflect this reality, centering children’s needs and ensuring environmental health protections are consistent and robust.
Youth must also have a seat at the table. Platforms like the Chemicals and Waste Youth Platform show the power of uniting young voices with governments, the UN, and other stakeholders. Education and outreach need to focus on those most affected but least heard, amplifying their voices in the fight for a healthier, lead-free world.
