Under its development agency United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the US government launched a competition with Ksh7 million prize money.
The competition, dubbed Mombasa Plastics Prize Challenge, aims at rewarding female innovators who offer solutions for curbing the dumping of plastics in the Indian Ocean.
“Our Mombasa Plastics Prize aims to encourage innovation and awareness amongst aspiring entrepreneurs and leaders (ages 18-25) in Mombasa County, by inspiring the development of solutions that tackle the problem of plastic waste mismanagement within informal settlements,” USAID announced.
Requirements
Fill a google form - - by Tuesday, November 8.
Describe yourself using three words.
Explain why you are interested in tackling marine plastic waste pollution in informal settlements, or slums, in Mombasa County.
Share an imaginative idea outlining how you could tackle this problem.
Indicate a particular point in time when you solved a problem.
Elaborate on a time when you have worked effectively and inclusively with other people and explain how you did this (This can be during your studies, at work, in your community, or elsewhere).
Say why you should be a finalist and how you'd show your commitment to the program.
The application should be accompanied by a short video about yourself.
Terms and Conditions
To be able to compete, you must:
Compete as an individual.
Compete in English.
Reside in Mombasa County.
Be between 18-25 years old.
Have an interest in tackling plastic waste in informal settlements in Mombasa.
Have the willingness to work as part of a team.
Review of Applications
After application, a committee will choose 60 finalists to compete for the prize.
All applicants will get a response to their application by December 16, 2022.
The selected 60 entrants will participate in the hack event on January 23, 2023. They will then be required to develop an idea for tackling the menace of plastics in the Indian Ocean.
A second hack event will be held on March 13, 2023.
Participants will submit their prototypes for validation after the second hack event.
Winners of the event will be announced on May 15, 2023.
Award Prizes
The award prizes will be as follows:
Winner Ksh3.5 million.
First runners-up Ksh2.5 million.
Second runners-up Ksh1.2 million.
