Some people leave us asking, “How do they do it?” Carlos Manuel Serra, World Cleanup Leader in Mozambique, is one of those people. Having mobilised over five million participants for World Cleanup Day, his story reveals the drive, inspiration, and dedication behind a lifetime of environmental leadership.
This article explores his childhood influences, his motivations, and how one person’s commitment is inspiring communities and the next generation of environmental leaders.
There are individuals whose dedication to change makes us pause and wonder: how do they do it? Where does their motivation come from? These are questions many people may ask about Carlos Manuel Serra, World Cleanup Leader in Mozambique, who has mobilised over five million people for the remarkable project we know as World Cleanup Day.
To gain a better understanding of him, we invited Carlos for an interview—an opportunity for him to share his story with the world, to tell us about his background, how he became such a successful leader, and what drives him to make the world a better, cleaner place.
Carlos explains that his passion for World Cleanup can be traced back to his childhood. For him, his parents were role models; he praises them for taking such good care of him and his siblings. They were both schoolteachers (as Carlos is now), and one of their main concerns was keeping the environment protected and clean.
He recalls his childhood in Maputo, playing with other children near the sea. Because he had such a strong relationship with his parents, he never hesitated to share his thoughts about pollution. “They were wonderful,” is how Carlos describes his interactions with his family, who taught him to respect the environment.
A second key influence in shaping Carlos’s passion for environmental activism was his inspiring teachers and his educational journey. His love of reading gave him the opportunity to learn about history, and he became especially fond of studying wildlife, forests, and the natural environment. This later inspired his career path as a teacher at Eduardo Mondlane University in Maputo, where he now lectures in Environmental and Urban Law.
Since Mozambique has few specialists providing environmental education, he decided to take the lead: “We need to fill the gap!”
A decade later, he now holds the title of World Cleanup Leader for Mozambique and has even received an award from the President for his outstanding achievements.
When asked about his current mission, Carlos emphasises that his main goal is to educate children and raise awareness about the environmental challenges we face. “It is not only a matter of waste, but of course about the environment, about the trees, about the animals, about the climate and so on. That's the most important thing, I think, at this moment in my life.”
With the population in many African countries growing in recent years, poverty has also increased, which in turn has a negative effect on the environment and climate. Carlos stresses the importance of bringing awareness to children, not just adults. “If we educate the children at the right time, we will have different adults.”
This belief was reaffirmed when an environmental law student approached him years later, recognising him as her teacher from an environmental education programme in primary school—clear proof that his influence endures across generations. For Carlos, it was a sign that his work is truly paying off, as more and more young people become active in environmental protection every day.
Over the years, Carlos has gained significant recognition on social media, with people from all over the world supporting his success. He is inspiring not only his local community but also a global audience. Today, Carlos can hardly leave the house without people approaching him—sometimes even asking for a photo.
Although he occasionally misses the days when he could enjoy more privacy, it brings him joy to see so many young people taking part in the movement, and he views this as a positive sign.
The growing visibility of environmental activism in Mozambique reflects not only Carlos’s personal achievements but also a broader cultural shift towards sustainability and the need for a greener, cleaner planet.
Looking towards the future, Carlos emphasises the importance of unity and collaboration within the environmental movement. He recalls that he used to work alone, but now, with a team supporting him, they are able to achieve far more. It is clear that the fight to change the world will continue for many years to come. To transform the environmental agenda across Africa, he believes it is essential to work together more efficiently.
“We have to try to bring countries together and work collectively against a problem that is huge and can only be solved as a team—a global team.”
He highlights that many health issues are directly linked to pollution and waste, which are literally costing people their lives. This crisis cannot be solved simply by burning waste; instead, what is needed is education and detailed data on how human behaviour affects the environment.
“We are eating, breathing, and drinking microplastics,” Carlos warns, emphasising the alarming issues arising from plastic consumerism.
When asked about how he maintains his motivation and drive, Carlos reflects on his first project, which began as a small, single cleanup. Day by day, more people and volunteers joined, and new connections were made—networking, he notes, is an essential part of the process.
Carlos also reminds people that change is a long and gradual journey; it does not happen overnight. “It is better to do something than nothing!” he says, emphasising that every small step counts towards meaningful progress.
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