Influencing decision-makers
Know your stakeholders
Different people play different roles. Think about:
- Who has the power to approve a policy?
- Who will benefit from it?
- Who might block it?
- Who can influence others?
Map these people out. Work out how to reach them. You can use tools like stakeholder mapping or power-interest grids to stay organised.
Visit the Partnerships toolkit for more help and ideas.
Build relationships
Policymakers are more likely to listen if they trust you. Start by:
- Sharing your data and experience
- Being respectful and consistent
- Showing how your proposal helps their goals (e.g. jobs, health, tourism)
- Offering practical support (e.g. policy drafting, public engagement)
Flipflopi supported the drafting of the SUP Bill, offered public platforms for leaders to speak, and helped spread key messages. This made it easier for officials to engage.
Create momentum
Policy takes time. Keep the pressure up by:
- Tracking your progress
- Celebrating small wins
- Staying active on social media
- Writing articles or opinion pieces
- Joining forces with others
The Flipflopi campaign connected with organisations across East Africa and globally. We shared resources, co-hosted events, and spoke with one voice.
Be strategic, be kind
Not everyone will agree with your ideas. That’s okay. Focus on your message. Stay open to dialogue. And remember: real change takes time.
You don’t have to be an expert or a politician to influence policy. Flipflopi started as a small volunteer project in Lamu, building a boat from recycled plastic. Today, we are helping shape regional laws on single-use plastics.
The key is to start. Be practical. Be inclusive. And keep going.
How the Flipflopi did it...
Setting sail to spark a movement
The Flipflopi Project’s dhow is more than just a recycled boat – it’s a moving symbol of what’s possible when people come together to tackle plastic pollution. Since 2019, the dhow has travelled along the East African coastline, docking in ports and islands from Lamu to Zanzibar, and as far south as Tanzania’s Pemba Island.
At each stop, Flipflopi worked with local partners to organise public clean-ups, youth events, boat-building workshops and school visits. These weren’t just educational – they built a groundswell of local support, often sparking follow-on action by local leaders. In several cases, county officials publicly committed to improving their local waste systems or introducing bans on single-use plastics.
In 2021, Flipflopi embarked on its Lake Victoria expedition uniting communities and policymakers from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania in recognising the importance of joining hands to protect our shared natural resources including Lake Victoria. During this expedition, they launched the regional single-use plastic policy campaign which gained support from the Queen of Buganda, the Governor of Kisumu and 16,000+ citizens.
This expedition highlighted the convening power of a practical, colourful and hopeful Flipflopi dhow to impact long-lasting systemic change.
In 2022, through the support of the French Embassy the CASIK network of musicians toured the country from the shores of Lake Victoria in Kisumu to the Lamu Island on the Indian Ocean. We were so inspired by this creative movement which also led to the production of Plastiki the song by the Loko Band and our partners at Dunga Hill Camp that we had to find a way to keep the powerful lyrics alive. We hope this message will continue to inspire every citizen to keep growing the plastic revolution.
