Fifteen teams of innovators from Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Uganda have been named finalists in the third strand of the Afri-Plastics Challenge, and each team will receive a £50 000 grant towards their solutions.

The finalists in the third strand are being supported to develop innovative engagement strategies, such as gamification, incentives and storytelling to promote behaviour change and educate communities, as well as provide insights into the roles that women and girls play across the value chain, says innovation organisation Challenge Works, which runs the challenge and is funded by the government of Canada.

“The issue of marine plastic pollution has grown rapidly in recent years. It is crucial that awareness translates into action and long-term behaviour change, at individual and collective levels alike,” says Challenge Works international development director Constance Agyeman.

“The 15 finalists will be supported over the course of the next seven months to develop their communications campaigns and projects. The £50 000 grants will support teams to generate evidence of change around reducing littering, segregation of plastic waste, choosing reusable options, or refusing single-use plastic all together,” she says.

While women and low-income populations are more likely to be negatively affected by plastic pollution, they are also a driving force of positive change, leadership and innovation in their communities. The Afri-Plastics Challenge aims to support innovative efforts to reduce plastic pollution in a way that empowers all, by promoting greater gender inclusiveness and social justice in national policies on plastic waste, she notes.

“Plastic pollution is threatening our ecosystems and food systems. I strongly believe that we must empower communities across the world to make sustainable choices. Choices that result in a better, more environment-friendly future for all.

“I look forward to seeing the hard work and innovation of these amazing finalists and can't wait to contribute our expertise and efforts in supporting Africa in becoming a plastic waste-free continent,” says Canadian Minister of International Development Harjit Sajjan.

“The marine plastic pollution issue is growing and we need to ensure that awareness translates into action and long-term behaviour change, at both individual and collective levels. To help the finalists achieve this, they will be further supported through a capacity-building portfolio of subject matter experts over the next several months to further develop their solution,” he adds.

The Afri-Plastics Challenge has three different strands, namely the downstream solutions Accelerating Growth Strand 1, the plastics volume reduction Creating Solutions Strand 2, and the Promoting Change Strand 3 seeking creative campaigns and projects to influence behaviour change among individuals and communities to promote sustainable consumption around plastic.