Media Room

Nairobi, Kenya, 31 July 2026

The Kenya Community Development Foundation (KCDF) has awarded KES 31.5 million to seven youth-led enterprises and community organisations developing groundbreaking solutions to some of Kenya’s most pressing environmental challenges.

The funding marks the culmination of the third edition of the Young Environmentalist Innovation Challenge (YEIC), a flagship initiative established by KCDF in 2023 to identify, nurture, and scale innovative environmental solutions led by young people across Kenya.

The seven winning innovations emerged from a highly competitive pool of more than 700 applications submitted from across the country. The finalists were selected following a rigorous evaluation process that assessed innovation, impact potential, sustainability, and scalability.

Over the past three years, YEIC has become one of Kenya’s leading platforms for youth-driven environmental innovation, supporting 24 transformative projects focused on environmental conservation, climate resilience, sustainable resource management, and circular economy solutions.

This year’s winners are demonstrating how local innovation can deliver practical and scalable solutions to environmental challenges while creating economic opportunities and livelihoods.

The seven finalists are:

• Twende Green Ecocycle (Mombasa County) – transforming marine plastic waste into durable and affordable school furniture.
• Fibertext Green Paper Ltd (Bungoma County) – converting discarded banana stems and fibres into biodegradable paper packaging.
• Queening Afrika (Nairobi County) – transforming discarded synthetic hair into handbags, home décor products, and other eco-friendly items.
• Bio Regen (Murang’a County) – producing organic ACT probiotic fertiliser to promote sustainable agriculture.
• Ecobora (Kajiado County) – developing solar cooking technologies to reduce dependence on conventional fuels.
• Ecobuild (Siaya County) – converting hazardous mining waste into eco-bricks for affordable housing.
• Majik Water Technologies (Murang’a County) – harnessing atmospheric moisture to produce clean and safe drinking water.

Collectively, the innovations address critical environmental concerns, including waste management, sustainable agriculture, water scarcity, access to clean energy, affordable housing, and the transition to a circular economy.

During the event, KCDF and the I&M Foundation officially launched the next phase of the initiative under a new identity, the Young Innovators Challenge (YIC). The rebranding reflects an expanded vision that goes beyond environmental conservation to support youth-led innovations addressing a broader range of social, economic, and development challenges facing Kenya.

The Young Innovators Challenge aims to strengthen Kenya’s innovation ecosystem by connecting emerging innovators with funding, mentorship, networks, and opportunities to scale their ideas into sustainable ventures capable of delivering measurable community impact.

Applications for the 2027 Young Innovators Challenge are now open and can be submitted through the KCDF website: www.kcdf.or.ke