£1.8 million for creative campaigns to tackle plastic pollution in sub-Saharan Africa
Innovation foundation Nesta Challenges will award £1.8 million to creative campaigns, schemes, tools and other interventions to promote widespread behaviour change toward plastic waste in sub-Saharan Africa in the third and final strand of the Afri-Plastics Challenge.
- 15 million tonnes of plastic is dumped, buried or burnt in sub-Saharan Africa each year
- Third and final strand of the Afri-Plastics Challenge is seeking creative campaigns to influence behaviour change around plastics among individuals and communities in sub-Saharan Africa.
- Previous strands sort innovative solutions to managing plastic waste, and reducing the volume of plastic used in packaging.
- 30 semi-finalists will receive grants and capacity building support to develop their ideas in April 2022
- Three winning innovators will be awarded £250,000 each in March 2023.
17 million tonnes of plastic waste is generated in Africa each year, with only 12% recycled. The rest is dumped, buried or burned with significant quantities entering the marine ecosystem. The Promoting Change strand of the Afri-Plastics Challenge follows the launch of the Accelerating Growth strand in Julyseeking innovations to better manage plastic pollution and the Creating Solutions strand launched in October seeking innovation to reduce or eliminate plastic usage across sub-Saharan Africa.
The Afri-Plastics Challenge: Promoting Change strand is seeking innovative engagement strategies such as nudges, gamification, incentives, and storytelling that promote behaviour change in one or more of four focus areas:
- Reducing littering
- Separating plastic waste
- Choosing reusable options
- Refusing single-use plastic
Across the focus areas, the challenge is seeking insights on the roles that women and girls play across the plastics management value chain in sub-Saharan African communities too.
30 semi-finalists will be awarded £5,000 each in April 2022 to develop their concepts ahead of judging in June. From there, 15 finalists will be selected, with each awarded £50,000 to further develop their campaign, scheme, tool or intervention. In March 2023 the three winning teams will be awarded £250,000 each. In addition to the financial support, teams will be provided with capacity building expertise by Nesta Challenges and industry experts to support the development of their ideas.
Constance Agyeman, Director of International Development, Nesta Challenges said:
“Plastic pollution is a terrible and ever-growing threat to the environment and health of sub-Saharan African communities. Sustainable consumer choices will make the difference between disaster and success in taking on the millions of tonnes of plastic being dumped, buried and burnt each year across the continent.”
“Not only do we need innovation to minimise the quantity of plastic being produced and to better manage plastic waste after it is used, but key to the long-term success of tackling plastic pollution will be people and the choices they make – creative communications that shift behaviour and attitudes around plastic use are essential.”
Adwoa Coleman, Dow Country Manager (Ghana) and Afri-Plastics Challenge Judge said:
“For a circular economy for plastics to thrive and flourish, it needs the support and full-hearted engagement of everyone involved in the supply chain. Individuals and communities will be pivotal in driving positive change for plastics in Africa – creative and influential communications campaigns are essential for ensuring they are involved from the outset.”
The Afri-Plastics Challenge is tackling the scourge of plastic pollution in sub-Saharan Africa thanks to funding from the Government of Canada. The challenge comprises three strands to take on the problem on multiple fronts.
- Strand 1 – Accelerating Growth – launched in July 2021 – is rewarding innovative solutions to managing plastic waste after it has been used and discarded (i.e. downstream solutions).
- Strand 2 – Creating Solutions – launched in October 2021 – is rewarding innovative solutions to reducing the volume of plastic in packaging and other products before it is used (i.e. upstream solutions).
- Strand 3 – Promoting Change – announced today – is seeking creative campaigns and projects to influence behaviour change among individuals and communities to promote sustainable consumption around plastic.
Applicants to the Afri-Plastic Challenge: Promoting Change strand must have a new or early-stage idea focussed on sub-Saharan Africa. Entries are welcomed from registered businesses, NGOs, community groups and individuals. Entrants from outside of sub-Saharan Africa must be in partnership with a sub-Sahara African lead applicant. The deadline for entries is Wednesday 16 February 2022 at 12 noon (GMT) To find out more about the Afri-Plastics Challenge and to apply, visit: afri-plastics.challenges.org
