Kenya Community Development Foundation (KCDF) has awarded Sh53 million in grants to ten youth-led organisations and two individuals whose work addresses pressing environmental and climate challenges. The announcement was made on Thursday, August 14, during the second edition of the Young Environmentalist Innovation Challenge (YEIC) in Nairobi, an initiative designed to back young people aged between 15 and 35 who are developing community-based solutions with the potential to expand across the country. This year’s competition drew more than 400 applications, which were reviewed by a panel of judges drawn from government, academia, and civil society.
In a statement, KCDF noted that the winners are demonstrating how youth-driven innovation can balance environmental outcomes with sustainable business models. Many of the ventures have already established revenue streams through product sales, partnerships, or services, which positions them to expand while continuing to deliver tangible community benefits.
The winning projects span a wide range of fields, reflecting the breadth of challenges posed by climate change in Kenya. In Kisii, MOMA Renewable Energy is converting organic food waste into bioethanol, offering households a clean alternative to polluting cooking fuels while tackling waste management. From Meru, Vermi-Farm Initiative is working with smallholder farmers—particularly women and young people—to advance sustainable agriculture practices and strengthen access to financial inclusion.
In Kisumu, M-Taka Waste Solutions has built a platform that integrates local communities into the waste value chain, combining environmental education with livelihood opportunities. In Machakos, Eco Nasi Limited is experimenting with pineapple pulp waste to produce environmentally friendly materials, reducing dependence on virgin resources.
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Nairobi produced several winners, including Timao Group, which manufactures affordable construction materials from recycled plastics, and Megagas Alternative Energy Enterprise, a start-up that transforms plastic waste into clean cooking gas through patented technology. Other Nairobi ventures recognised include Zalika Greentech Limited, a woman-led renewable energy company providing off-grid solutions, and Adumu Limited, which is working in sustainable fashion by producing footwear and accessories from recycled materials.
Beyond the capital, Pollen Patrollers Limited in Kiambu is offering professional pollination services to farmers to improve yields and biodiversity, while CropScan Smart Farming Technologies is applying artificial intelligence and Internet of Things systems to help farmers improve productivity and resilience in the face of climate pressures. Alongside the organisations, two individuals, Erick Sankale Olkiado and Nthuku Mumo Osoro, were honoured for grassroots environmental initiatives considered to have national relevance.
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Dr. Tonny Omwansa, the Chief Executive of the Kenya National Innovation Agency, and Mr. Gordon Odundo, Vice Chair of KCDF’s board, presided over the awards ceremony. Both emphasised the importance of structured support systems for young people developing practical solutions to the country’s environmental challenges. KCDF also used the occasion to launch the third edition of the Young Environmentalist Innovation Challenge, under the theme “Scaling Innovations for Environmental Impact.” This next phase will focus on expanding projects that have already demonstrated success, with particular emphasis on climate resilience, ecosystem restoration, renewable energy, and circular economy solutions.
Across Africa, young innovators are emerging as crucial actors in responding to the climate crisis. In West Africa, youth-led technology start-ups are helping farmers adapt to erratic rainfall by providing mobile-based weather and advisory services. In Southern Africa, community ventures are converting plastic waste into low-cost building materials. In North Africa, solar irrigation enterprises are addressing the challenge of water scarcity in rural communities. These efforts mirror the vision of the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and align with strategies promoted by the African Development Bank, which emphasize green growth and youth entrepreneurship as essential to climate adaptation.
With over 60 percent of Africa’s population under the age of 25, harnessing this demographic for environmental innovation is as much an economic necessity as it is a climate imperative. The Kenyan awards illustrate how relatively modest funding can catalyse enterprises that generate local employment while tackling environmental problems. For countries where public financing is stretched thin, youth-led ventures present a pathway to bridge gaps between grassroots needs and national climate objectives.
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Kenya continues to face serious climate-related pressures, including drought, flooding, and soil degradation. While national policies and international financing remain critical, initiatives like YEIC show how younger generations are already contributing solutions that are practical, locally tailored, and often economically self-sustaining. For the winners, the grants represent an opportunity to refine their products, strengthen their business models, and extend their reach beyond pilot projects.
The lesson is increasingly relevant across Africa: when young innovators are given access to funding, mentorship, and markets, they are able to develop solutions that respond directly to community needs while also contributing to long-term resilience. With climate risks rising across the continent, from floods in East Africa to droughts in the Sahel, such ventures are not peripheral experiments but a growing component of Africa’s transition to sustainable development.
