- Cases
Catalysing Youth Innovation & entrepreneurship to Tackle Marine Plastic Waste in Mombasa.
01 Situation
Mombasa County faces severe plastic pollution, with only 52% of waste formally collected and an estimated 3.7 kg of plastic per capita entering waterways annually. Informal settlements are most affected, lacking reliable waste management systems. Yet the county holds a powerful resource: a vibrant youth population eager to drive change.
02 Assignment
Challenge Works contracted Proportion Global as the lead programme designer and lead delivery partner of the Mombasa Plastics Prize, together with ecosystem partners in the Mombasa areas. The goal was to strengthening youth-led ventures and reducing plastic leakage across the county.
03 Approach
Proportion Global led the full programme architecture, from research and co-design to operational delivery. This included creating decentralised learning pathways, guiding innovators through prototyping and business formalisation, and facilitating ecosystem connections with local government, hubs and waste actors. Mentorship, seed funding and community engagement were built into every stage to ensure solutions remained grounded in lived experience.
04 Result
The first programme proved the model’s effectiveness. It generated 14 ventures, 545 green jobs and 23 tonnes of collected plastic. The new concept positions Proportion Global to scale this momentum and drive lasting environmental and economic outcomes in Mombasa.
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