About the Mombasa Plastics Prize
What was the initial phase of the Mombasa Plastics Prize?
The initial phase of the Mombasa Plastics Prize aimed to encourage innovation and awareness among aspiring entrepreneurs and leaders in Mombasa County, by inspiring the development of solutions that tackle the problem of marine plastic waste mismanagement within informal settlements.
In Mombasa, 850 metric tons of waste are generated per day…
- Approximately 20% of this waste is plastic.
- Out of the total solid waste generated, 46% is collected, and only 5% is recycled.
- Across Kenya, 37 thousand tonnes of this plastic waste leaks into the ocean every year.
In September 2022, we called on young adults (ages 18-25) living in Mombasa County, with an interest in tackling this problem, to compete in the prize.
This prize built on the work of the Afri-Plastics Challenge, funded by Global Affairs Canada, which aims to reduce marine plastics in sub-Saharan African countries by developing and scaling innovative solutions to plastic mismanagement.
This phase was an overwhelming success.
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0kg
of plastic waste was collected
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0
interviews were held with the community in Mombasa County
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0
partnerships were formed with MPP innovator teams
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0hours
of training and coaching were run (per innovator)
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0
MPP stories covered in the media
What was the outcome?
We found ambitious, dedicated and creative aspiring entrepreneurs and leaders, who wanted to help tackle the challenge of marine plastic waste mismanagement in Mombasa County’s informal settlements.
Following the assessment of entries, 60 finalists were selected and divided into 15 teams to develop their solutions.
At the end of the process, three winning teams were selected and awarded cash prizes worth 7m KES.
The winners
After months of incredible work, the three winners from across Mombasa of the Mombasa Plastics Prize were announced at the Mombasa Plastics Prize Awards & Celebration in Mombasa.
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1st place – Team Twende Green Ecocycle
Twende Green Ecocycle aims to promote sustainable development by recycling marine plastic waste from informal settlements into school eco-desks. Our company uses advanced recycling technology to transform discarded plastic waste into durable, high-quality school lockable eco-desk that meets the needs of both students and teachers. We are committed to making a positive impact on the environment, while also supporting education development and creating employment opportunities for the local community.
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2nd place – Team Plastic Taka Creatives
Team Eco-Redemptors is on a mission to create sustainable products from plastic waste. We aim to collaborate with waste collectors to create a recycling facility in Mombasa that offers fair pricing for the plastic waste they collect.
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3rd place – Team Oceania Pacesetter
Team Oceania Pacesetter is on a mission to tackle plastic pollution by creating simple devices that intercept plastic waste. With peddlers and an anchored net, they collect debris directly from the ocean.
The collected plastics are then repurposed to create art installations, DIYs, and other creative projects.
The winning teams
