Growing up in the small coastal town of Vodza near Keta in Ghana's Volta Region, Collins Gameli Hodoli remembers the warm glow of kerosene lamps lighting his childhood home. It was a common sight, a necessity in communities where electricity was unreliable. But what he did not know then was that the thick, invisible fumes filling the air were silently harming his health.

Today, as an Air Quality Scientist and Diplomatic Strategist, Hodoli is leading a groundbreaking initiative to ensure no child in Malawi faces the same silent dangers he once did.

“Growing up with kerosene lamps with no knowledge of its impact on my health then is not an experience any child should have,” Hodoli reflects, his voice carrying the weight of personal experience. His realization came in 2016 when he encountered a devastating statistic: "6,500 Ghanaians die every year from air pollution – WHO report." The news hit him hard.

"I was devastated and asked the question, 'Why was nobody doing anything about this?'" This moment propelled him toward a PhD in Environment and Agrifood at Cranfield University, England, where he discovered the transformative power of state-of-the-art air quality monitoring technologies.

Now, Hodoli is spearheading the Malawi Initiative for Clean Air Solutions (MIfCAS), a pioneering project to establish the country’s first comprehensive air quality monitoring network with funding from the Energy Policy Institute of The University of Chicago.

As Malawi’s population of 21 million is set to surge by 77% by 2050, industrialization is accelerating, yet the air tells a troubling story—children in Malawi face pollution levels a hundred times higher than their peers in high-income countries. Air pollution currently reduces life expectancy in Malawi by 2.7 years, making it a silent killer that cuts lives short before their time.

The MIfCAS project, a collaborative initiative between Clean Air One Atmosphere (CAOA), Mzuzu University, and the African Group on Atmospheric Sciences (ANGA) will install one reference-grade monitor and a network of 30 state-of-the-art micro air sensors across the country. But for Hodoli, these are not just pieces of equipment—they represent hope.

Hope for children who, like him, are unknowingly exposed to dangerous pollutants. Hope for policymakers who will finally have the data to drive meaningful action. Hope for a future where clean air is a right, not a privilege.

"Air pollution is an interdisciplinary field," Hodoli explains. "It involves public health, chemistry, atmospheric science, meteorology, physics, economics, engineering, and social sciences to mention but a few. To tackle it effectively requires team science."

Working alongside a diverse team of experts, including Dr Brighton Austin Chunga from Mzuzu University, Dr Isaac Tchuwa from Malawi University of Science and Technology, Patrick Nyiranda from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Climate Change and Environmental Protection Authority, Steve Kuyeli from Malawi Bureau of Standards, Victor Dzidefo Ablo from CAOA, and Dr Mohammed Iqbal Mead from Imperial College, Hodoli is laying the foundation for Malawi’s first Clean Air Act and National Ambient Air Quality Standards—fundamental policies that have been impossible without reliable air quality data.

Hodoli is also focused on public engagement and education, ensuring that air pollution science does not remain confined to research papers and policy discussions. His approach includes public awareness campaigns, national dialogues, and integrating sustainability science into Malawi’s school curriculum. “With the little I now know in air pollution science and continue to learn, I want to right the wrongs in our society, focusing on sustainable redevelopment through a systems-thinking and interdisciplinary approach,” he says.

The stakes are high. Nearly 1.2 million premature deaths per annum in Africa are linked to air pollution, and in Malawi, noncommunicable diseases—many worsened by poor air quality—account for almost 40% of all deaths. Yet Hodoli sees hope in every data point collected, every policymaker engaged, and every child educated about the air they breathe.

Through the establishment of the "Malawi Atmospheric Observatory" and the upcoming Malawi Clean Air Summit, Hodoli and his team are working to ensure that no child's health is compromised by unseen pollutants. His journey—from studying under kerosene lamps in Ghana to leading an air quality revolution in Malawi—is a testament to the power of personal experience, scientific expertise, and collective action.

As Malawi stands on the brink of a clean air movement, Hodoli’s story serves as a powerful reminder: the fight against air pollution is not just about monitoring—it’s about making the invisible visible and ensuring that every breath children take is safe, clean, and guaranteed.