Afri-Plastics Challenge

Over 17 million tonnes of waste are generated by Sub-Saharan Africa annually, and only 12% of plastic waste is recycled. The Challenge aims to reduce marine plastics in Sub-Saharan African countries by developing and scaling innovative solutions to plastic mismanagement in a way that promotes gender equality and empowerment of women and girls.

The Challenge will help communities throughout Sub-Saharan Africa to prevent plastic waste from entering the marine environment by finding ways to minimize reliance on plastic and new ways of managing plastic waste.

Challenge Timeline

The Afri-Plastics Challenge is divided into three strands:

Strand 1: Accelerating Growth – Apply Here

Seeking small and medium-sized enterprises that have a proof of concept and the ability to scale nationally or regionally to reach a high target number of people, particularly engaging women and girls.

Strand 2: Creating Solutions (Launching September 2021)

A call for new ideas particularly those that respond to a particular gap in the innovation landscape in specific Sub-Saharan African countries or with specific population groups.

Strand 3: Promoting Change (Launching December 2021)

A call for large scale campaigns that raise awareness and engage women and girls in the plastics value chain.

Apply Now

The Afri-Plastics Challenge Strand 1 Accelerating Growth opens for entries on Wednesday, 21 July 2021, 09:00 (BST) and closes on Wednesday 15 September 2021 at 12 noon (BST).

Following the closing date on Wednesday 15 September 2021 at 12:00 noon (BST), entries for the will be screened for eligibility and assessed. A diverse portfolio of entries that best meet the relevant assessment criteria will be long-listed by a group of external assessors, then later shortlisted by a Judging Panel.

We strongly encourage all entrants to read the Applicant Handbook along with the full Terms and Conditions before entering the Challenge.