Three teams of young entrepreneurs from Mombasa have been hailed for their innovation and dedication to combating marine plastics pollution.
The teams; Twende Green Ecocycle, Eco-Redemptors and Oceania Pacesetter have been working towards safeguarding marine life.
Twende Green Ecocycle aims to promote sustainable development by recycling marine plastic waste from informal settlements into school eco-desks.
Eco-Redemptors seek to create sustainable products from plastic waste while Oceania Pacesetter is on a mission to tackle plastic pollution by creating simple devices that intercept plastic waste.
The three teams emerged at the top during the US Agency for International Development (USAID) supported Mombasa Plastics Prize, and won a cumulative prize of Sh7 million.
The competition was organised by Challenge Works- a social enterprise that supports innovation across the world. The enterprise supports young leaders from informal settlements in addressing marine plastics pollution.
“USAID is committed to empowering young people to create innovative solutions for tackling marine plastics pollution, ensuring a sustainable future for all generations,” Gillian Caldwell, USAID’s Chief Climate Officer said.
Caldwell said the young innovators from Mombasa have not only won recognition and support but have also demonstrated the power of innovation and collaboration in addressing pressing global challenges.
The winning teams joined 70 other innovators from across Africa in the Climate Action Innovation Hub, to showcase a diverse range of bold climate actions from across the continent.
The Climate Action Innovation Hub marked a significant milestone in transitioning the recently adopted African Union Climate Change and Resilient Development Strategy (2022-2023), into tangible action on the ground.
Themed “Driving Green Growth and Climate Finance Solutions for Africa and the World”, the summit focused on green growth in Africa and finding financing solutions to support the programs aimed at mitigating the effects of climate change.
The summit also facilitated knowledge exchange and garnered support from a broad audience, including policymakers and potential investors.
The three teams won and received financial support to develop their ideas into solutions.
Lucy Atieno from Oceania Pacesetters shared how young people can create green jobs in informal settlements.
“There is a collective global will to accelerate the pace towards a more equitable renewable-energy-based, climate-resilient global economy,” Atieno on Wednesday said.
The Mombasa Plastics Prize-winning teams expressed their excitement for having participated in the summit.
