Ten teams of innovators from across sub-Saharan Africa have been named finalists in the Afri-Plastics Challenge with solutions for reducing plastic usage. Each will receive £75,000 to invest in and develop their ideas. The winner will take home the first prize of £750,000 in January 2023, with the runner- up receiving £250,000 while the third place wins £100,000.
They include projects to facilitate the reduction of singleuse disposable diapers. One such project is ShoppersBag, a solution by Well of Science from Nigeria. ShoppersBags are reusable, recyclable and biodegradable bags that allow people to get paid or earn rewards on every usage Another is Toto Safi, a solution from Rwanda. Toto Safi’s app-based service facilitates the reduction of single-use disposable diapers, a major source of land and marine pollution. Through this app, parents will be able to receive a fresh bundle of clean and sterilised cloth diapers, at an affordable cost. Other teams in the challenge include South Africa’s Regenize and the Uganda Industrial Research Institute. Regenize’s Zero- Waste Spaza can plug into any existing spaza shop and enables it to become a zero-waste shop where their customers can shop without creating plastic waste.
The customers will need to bring their containers to purchase goods supplied by Regenize and stored in secured food-safe containers. Besides reducing plastic waste, it will also enable customers to live a healthier lifestyle. On its part, the Uganda Industrial Research Institute manufactures biodegradable and biocompostable paper packaging bags from the long wasted agricultural fibres of the banana pseudo-stem, sugarcane bagasse, all cereal crop straw (rice, maize and wheat), cotton waste/rags, and pineapple crowns, among others, as an alternative product to reduce the usage of the polythene bag.
The Afri-Plastics Challenge, from innovation experts Chal-lenge Works and funded by the Government of Canada, is rewarding the most promising sub-Saharan African innovators working in the circular economy to develop ideas that will tackle the worrying rise in plastic pollution across the continent and in its marine environment. Canada is a leader on the world stage through on-going work to champion the Ocean Plastics Charter and membership in the Ocean Decade Alliance. With the longest coastline in the world and one quarter of the world’s fresh water, Canada is uniquely positioned to lead in reducing plastic pollution and protecting ocean health.
Government will continue to work with partners at home and around the world to protect the environment and build a healthy future for generations to come. Tackling plastic pollution through three prize strands, the finalists in the second strand – Creating Solutions – already announced, are being supported to develop innovative products that specifically reduce the volumes of plastic entering the value chain through ingenious and novel approaches. Honourable Harjit Sajjan, Minister of International Development, Government of Canada, said: “We must urgently reduce plastic usage worldwide. It’s clear that increasing pollution levels are devastating our shared environment.
“The finalists announced today in the Afri-Plastics Challenge demonstrate innovation and African entrepreneurialism at its best. I can’t wait to see how the innovative solutions proposed will reduce plastic usage and benefit the whole world.” Constance Agyeman, Director of International Development, Challenge Works, said: “Eradication of the plastic waste menace in the environment is critical to ensure resilient, sustainable communities. This calls for new solutions that go beyond traditional thinking. “Today’s finalists are leading the way in dramatically reducing the volumes of plas-tic entering the economy to bear down on the avalanche of plastic waste that is engulfing Africa and its precious marine ecosystems.” Having made their way through the semi-final round, each finalist has already received grants of £25,000 to develop their ideas.
The 10 finalists will now receive a further £75,000 each to further advance and implement their solutions tackling the elimination of plastic usage across sub-Saharan Africa. The successful communitycentred products and services have demonstrated a sustainable approach to reducing the reliance on plastic that also supports the empowerment of women and girls.
As the nation’s underwriting sector reinforces commitment to prompt claims payment, the management of Universal Insurance Plc has reassured that it will not renege in this regard as claims payment remains a fundamental factor for the continued existence of any Insurance company. Disclosing this during the Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers’ Members Evening, […]
Gro Intelligence is launching the Food Security Tracker for Africa, the first-of-itskind. It is an interactive tool that makes real-time agricultural data on 49 out of 54 African countries publicly available in one location. With The Rockefeller Foundation’s support, this information will make it easier for countries around the world to navigate the unprecedented challenges […]
The European Union (EU), on Friday, submitted a plan to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) that it believes will more effectively broaden supply of COVID-19 vaccines than the intellectual property (IP) rights waiver backed by the United States. India, South Africa and dozens of developing countries are demanding the waiver to address what they say […]
Tyres are the main elements of wonderson- wheels. They are the parts that have constant contact with the road. But, besides gauging the air pressure, many people do not know how long it takes before a tyre is unfit for the road. This, according to findings by ISIOMA MADIKE, adds to increase road mishaps, which […]
When the Ogun State Government moved to the Oke Aro, Lambe, Alagbole, Akute areas with the promise of building the Sango-Ojodu-Abiodun Expressway, not a few were over themselves with joy with the hope of a new lease of life. Even when many had to give up their homes for the road’s right of way, they […]
‘Every day is a struggle, and fear of street urchins, palpable’ The dilemma homeless girls face on a daily basis, are dreadfully pitiable. They are condemned to a life of rejection, trauma, deprivation and poverty. Isioma Madike, who took a tour of the city, visiting some bridges, markets and hot spots, serves a story of […]
…supports Nwoko’s quest for Senate Prominent indigenes of Anioma in Delta State, have applauded the Federal Government and the Nigerian University Commission (NUC), for what they said was a bold step in giving the final approval for the first Sports University in the country, which is cited in Idumuje-Ugboko. Reacting to the good news, the […]