The Kenya Community Development Foundation (KCDF) has today awarded a cumulative of KES 23,950,000 to five community youth organizations to support their innovative ideas towards environmental sustainability and conservation.
Speaking during the event, the Chief Guest Mr. Kihara Maina, Regional CEO of I&M Group PLC,
commended KCDF for its commitment to supporting youth innovations. He emphasized the
government's role as an enabler, suggesting that some investments are challenging for individuals
to undertake alone. Mr. Maina proposed using taxes to support youth-driven innovations,
emphasizing that sustainability hinges on profitability, which can then fund transformative
innovations. "Our commitment is to lead change through shared value, with a significant allocation towards environmental conservation, education, and skills training, as well as economic empowerment.I applaud the YEIC competition for its eye-opening impact, and I hope the second iteration will scale up in both quality and reach, to engage diverse partners in addressing environmental challenges,"he said.
On her part, the KCDF Executive Director Ms. Grace Maingi emphasized the importance of fostering and advancing innovation within the development sector, alongside efforts to control carbon emissions. “We aim to empower young people by recognizing their potential through the Young Environmentalist Innovation Challenge. As we launch the second call for applicants, we have
extended support eligibility to individuals aged 15 to 35, offering grants of up to five million shillings".
Under its Young Environmentalist Innovative Challenge (YEIC), KCDF aims at developing action-oriented young individuals and youth-led organizations committed to the conservation of the environment.The finalists of the inaugural challenge, launched in 2023, were awarded in this event that also saw the launch of the second edition.
The winners included Inua DamSite from Nyandarua County,EcoRich Solutions,Placom Manufacturers from Nairobi County,Farmer Lifeline Technologies and Fruity Schools Africa from Kiambu County.This year’s edition seeks to award three young individual environment champions with grants of upto KES 1.5 Million and six organizations with grants of up to KES 5 Million each, for implementing their unique environment conservation-based ideas.
YEIC is an environmental innovation fund established by KCDF with support from Mackenzie Scott to bolster innovative ideas and solutions that promote environmental conservation, sustainable resource management, and community resilience. KCDF has partnered with the National Environment Trust Fund (NetFund), Green Generation Initiative (GGI), and the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) to identify top unique ideas through this initiative.
In a ceremony that brought together, youth representatives, the private sector, environment
champions, advocates, and enthusiasts, the event underscored the significance of environmental
conservation in addressing pressing global issues such as drought and climate change. It emphasized the role of digital technology in enhancing efforts to protect the environment.
KCDF works to enhance the growth and sustainability of communities through capacity
development, community philanthropy, and local giving. KCDF invests significant resources to build,strengthen and sustain the core capacities of our communities by developing thoughtful, long-term collaborations.
Applications for the 2024 edition of the Young Environmentalist Innovation Challenge are open on the KCDF website: www.kcdf.or.ke
