The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Kenya recently announced the winners of Mombasa Plastics Prize Awards and Celebration.
In the announcement made on May 18, 2023, USAID Kenya named Team Twende Green Ecocycle as winners.
Team Twende Green Ecocycle is a group of young innovators seeking to come up with a solution that will address ocean plastic pollution.
The team led by Mercy Mwangi walked away with Ksh 3.5 million following their win.
She is leading the group that is working on a project to come up with school eco-friendly desks out of ocean plastic.
The desks are durable, easy to clean, and affordable, and made from recycled materials.
Mwangi, an environmental engineer, started the group after seeing the amount of plastic pollution in her community and its surroundings.
She is intending to use her skills to provide a long-lasting solution for plastic pollution in parts of the coastal region.
“Our company uses advanced recycling technology to transform discarded plastic waste into durable, high-quality school lockable eco-desk that meets the needs of both students and teachers
“We are committed to making a positive impact on the environment, while also supporting education development and creating employment opportunities for the local community,” the team said in a statement.
So far, the team has built and donated over 100 eco-desks in Mombasa County.
Team Twende Green Ecocycle are also working on having other products made from recycled plastic, such as chairs, tables and bins.
Floating bicycle
As earlier reported on WoK, Liz Maua and Maria Sidi, Form Two students at Ronald Ngara Memorial Secondary School in Kilifi County invented a floating bicycle that can be ridden on Indian Ocean.
The two used jerrycans to construct the bicycle that took four months to complete before it was tested in different parts of the beach.
According to a report on K24 TV, they came up with the project to reduce the effects of climate change and emissions into the ocean.
The bicycle floats on water due to the buoyancy of the jerrycans used, allowing one to move from one side to the next.
“We used it on a nearby beach and it was very efficient. Besides the environmental benefits, it is also a fun and refreshing activity
“The pedaling will initiate movement in the propeller which has the blades allowing the bike to move forward or backward depending on how you pedal,” they explained.
The innovation has a total of eight jerrycans; four on each side, a pedal and a propeller pushing the water backwards.
The two innovators used a frame akin to that of a normal bicycle while the metal was wielded together to come up with the wings.
The wings are designed in a circular shape so as to hold the jerrycans.
With a capacity of two passengers, the floating bicycle can carry up to 199 kilograms on a single ride.
