Plates from Fallen Leaves, Bricks from Plastic Waste and Sight Saving Mobile Apps - Green Innovation Highlighted at 2015 SEED Awards Wed, Sep 9, 2015

2015 SEED Awards Honour African and Women-Led Enterprises

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2015 SEED Africa Winner, Loja de Energias, Mozambique. Photo: SEED

Nairobi, 9 September 2015 - As the world gears up to adopt the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) later this month, 27 trailblazing eco-enterprises are recognized at the 2015 SEED Africa Symposium in Nairobi for employing business models that bring social and environmental benefits to local communities, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) announced today.

Further Resources

• Download SEED 10 Year Flagship Report
• SEED

The SEED Awards recognize innovative social and environmental start-up enterprises whose businesses help to meet sustainable development challenges. By helping them to scale-up their activities SEED aims to boost local economies and tackle poverty, while promoting the sustainable use of resources and ecosystems.

The 2015 SEED Awards have a special focus on Africa, with 25 Awards given to enterprises in Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda. A further 2 SEED Gender Equality Awards go to women-led enterprises that promote gender equality and women's empowerment as their core objectives.

In addition to a financial contribution, every SEED Award Winner will receive technical assistance, free access to different supporting institutions, and tailor-made support to develop their business and skills. They will also join a network of more than 200 enterprises that have received the award so far.

From distributing solar energy solutions through women-led networks in Namibia to using mobile phones for remote eye diagnosis in Southern Africa, to building houses from bricks made of waste plastic ? this year's awardees have demonstrated how renewable energy and new technologies can drive community-led sustainable development.

The 2015 call for applications saw contributions from 55 countries, representing the collaborative efforts of partnerships between enterprises, non-governmental organisations, women's and youth groups, labour organizations, public authorities, international agencies, and academia. Most of the applications were in agricultural and rural development, energy and climate change, and ecosystem management. Many entries at the same time involved IT applications, and education and training.

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the awards, and the 202 inspirational enterprises who have received it over the past decade, a special recognition was presented to one of the previous winners. Chosen in an online vote by more than 5,500 people, Tambul Leaf Plates from India was honoured for producing and marketing biodegradable disposable dinnerware from the fallen sheath of the arecanut plant, reducing plastic waste pollution and creating a value chain on the basis on an abundant natural resource.

Honouring this decade of partnerships, learning and growing in social and environmental entrepreneurship, SEED published its 10 Year Flagship Report titled "Turning Ideas into Impact: Setting the Stage for the next 10 Years of Green and Inclusive Growth through Entrepreneurship" at the SEED Africa Symposium. It tells SEED's story, explains its multi-level areas of intervention and theory of change, and highlights the key lessons SEED wants to share from its experience.

The International Awards Ceremony is a highlight of the SEED Africa Symposium 2015, which is bringing together around 500 entrepreneurs and business people, policymakers, and representatives from civil society and support institutions from across Africa and beyond, around the theme "Building Bridges for Impact: Green and Inclusive Growth through Entrepreneurship".

Representatives of the SEED Partners said about the SEED Winners:

Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary-General, UNEP Executive Director: "The winners of this year's SEED Awards are mapping the road toward a sustainable future, and signposting the way to a fully fledged green economy. Innovative enterprises like theirs demonstrate the tangible benefits of a low-carbon, resource-efficient approach to economic growth to communities, investors and partners. Their work exemplifies the green economy transition that will help realize the Sustainable Development Goals and the climate agenda to be agreed on this year."

Helen Clark, UNDP Administrator: "Across the African continent, local enterprises are tackling extreme poverty, environmental degradation, and social exclusion. The 2015 SEED Winners are examples of what can happen when local ingenuity meets innovative partnerships. They offer a new, powerful paradigm for sustainable development and green growth based on community empowerment and the collective will for social change."

Inger Andersen, Director General IUCN: "For the past 10 years, the SEED Awards have showcased the very best of the green and social entrepreneurial spirit which is found at the grassroots in developing countries and emerging economies. The 2015 Winners again show resoundingly the resourcefulness and innovative spirit that abounds in these small enterprises and that we want, through SEED and its Partners, to encourage and help to grow."

Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director UN Women: "The striking number of women-led enterprises represented in this year's SEED Awards underlines their rich potential to mitigate climate change and improve social and economic standards. I am especially delighted to see Kidogo's positive and replicable solution to relieve promising young women of child care even in fragile situations, so children and mothers can learn and thrive. Imaginative and practical networks like these support both the community and the economy."

NOTES TO EDITORS

SEE PROFILES OF WINNERS BELOW

The SEED Special Recognition Winner:

• "Tambul Leaf Plates" promotes production of arecanut leaf plates as a livelihood option amongst rural communities in Northeast India, providing training, technical, financial and marketing assistance to the rural producers to enable them to establish their arecanut leaf plate-making enterprises. Tambul Leaf Plates provides 100 per cent buy back guarantees to the rural producers and purchases the plates at a fair price.

The 2015 SEED Gender Equality Winners (by country) are:

Kenya:

• "Kidogo Early Childhood Centres" offer high-quality, affordable and safe childcare options for families living in urban slums, allowing mothers and caregivers to work and attend school. The centres employ local women and operate as "centres of excellence", while supporting a local micro-financing programme that provides local women ? or "mamapreneurs"- with a "business in a box" to start or grow their own micro-businesses in child care.

The 2015 SEED Gender Equality Award in Kenya is supported by UN Women, the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women.

Uganda:

• "Days for Girls" empowers women and girls in East Africa by providing business training and access to menstrual hygiene. Uniquely-designed reusable menstrual hygiene kits support girls and women in attending school and work without anxiety or stigma about menstrual hygiene.The women involved in production gain income and economic empowerment.

The 2015 SEED Gender Equality Award is supported by the international law firm, Hogan Lovells, and Adelphi Research, an independent think tank and policy consultancy and host of SEED.

The 2015 SEED Africa Winners (by country) are:

Ethiopia: :

• "STM Solar Technologies Manufacturing" is the first private Ethiopian enterprise to offer solar lamps and solar home systems to rural households in the country. To facilitate the acquisition of their products, the enterprise sells them in local currency and offers micro-finance credit. Households have access to a more affordable energy source and more lighting hours, while suffering fewer health risks and environmental impacts.

• "RK Renew Energy PLC" provides improved cook stoves to refugees in camps across Ethiopia. Each fuel-efficient stove reduces the environmental and health impacts of fuelwood burning, as well as allowing refugees to consume all of their food rations instead of trading some of them for cooking fuel. Safety risks for women related to sexual violence are also reducedas fewer trips to collect fuelwood around the camps are needed.

Kenya:

• "Botanic Treasures" leverages traditional farming techniques of smallholder farmers to grow the highly nutritious Moringa oleifera tree, processing the plant and marketing health food products nationally and internationally. Over 1,000 individuals are employed across the value chain, providing economic stability for rural communities. The consumption of Moringa oleifera products is helping to improve health while the cultivation of the drought-resistant plant helps prevent soil erosion and promote sustainable agroforestry.

Tanzania:

• "East Africa Fruit Farm and Company" trades and markets locally-grown fresh fruit and organic vegetables, significantly reducing post-harvest losses by cold storage and powering all activities with renewable energy such as solar power and bio-diesel. Smallholder farmers in the supply chain are supported through the provision of training and advice and prepared land, and they receive fair prices for their produce.
• "RISE" is a solar power distribution partnership between an experienced rural renewable energy product distributor, and one of Tanzania's largest agricultural commodity traders. With the goal of making renewable energy services available and affordable to low-income consumers, the enterprise is lighting up communities in the most rural regions of Tanzania while generating income for local sales agents.

Uganda:

• "Village Energy" is the first company in East Africa to build a branded franchise solar technician network to repair, service and sell solar systems. The enterprise provides young men and women with training, set-up support, an inventory and marketing skills, so building a regional servicing and distribution network to promote young women and men as technical entrepreneurs and increase access to and uptake of rural solar energy.

The 2015 SEED Awards in Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda are largely supported by the European Union, which is made up of 28 Member States who have decided to gradually link together their know-how, resources and destinies.

Malawi:

• "Alternative Energy Source for Heating" combines waste reduction, alternative energy generation and youth empowerment. It creates self-employment opportunities by training youths to produce rice husk briquettes which are then sold to households and public and private institutions as an alternative energy source to fuelwood and charcoal. The enterprise therefore helps to prevent further deforestation and reduce air pollution.

• "Black Gold Farm Manure" markets organic fertiliser produced from locally available, low-cost resources to farms in Malawi, improving food security in the region. The enterprise trains farmers in producing the fertiliser and supports them through loans and guidance on eco-friendly farming.

• "Bwengu Tomato Production and Processing" is a cooperative-led enterprise with a resource-efficient structure to produce and process tomatoes. The drip irrigation system adopted saves water, and the processing plant ensures almost 100% produce usage. Members of the cooperative benefit from higher income as well as access to fresh food around the year, increasing nutritional intake in local communities.

• "Hortinet" is building a more inclusive and sustainable agricultural value chain in Malawi: In its supply chain, the enterprise supports local, mainly female smallholder farmers and young entrepreneurs. It reduces water usage and fuel consumption through gravity-fed irrigation systems during cultivation; further up the value chain, it avoids high post-harvest losses and offers local fresh produce to a market that is until now still relies largely on imports.

• "Masole Ammele" builds organic fish farming skills at community level, stimulating people to collaborate and organise themselves around the breeding of fish. Through this activity, the enterprise provides an extra income for participants and raises awareness about the importance of ecosystem preservation in rural villages.

• "Peacock Seeds" supports climate change adaptability and food security in Malawi by producing and supplying smallholder farms with drought-tolerant, disease-resistant and yield-improved legume and maize seeds. By supporting farms in crop improvement, they also help generate income security for farmers.

• "People of the Sun" is a green and inclusive handicraft-trading enterprise that trains and supports marginalised artisans to craft unique homeware products made from recycled materials. Working in eye-level partnership with artisan groups and aiming to increase social benefits along the value chain, the enterprise connects them to national and international markets.

• "RECAPO CBO" is a self-sustaining business that provides affordable solar home systems to households in rural areas. In a country where the vast majority of the population lacks access to grid-electricity, the enterprise offers a clean and low-cost solution. This enables residents to extend working and study hours while preventing damaging impacts to their health and the environment.

Mozambique:

• "COMSOL Cooperative for Environmental Solutions" empowers waste pickers in Maputo. The collection, recycling and sales of solid waste material not only ensures an income for the pickers and cooperative members - former waste pickers - but also reduces waste accumulation in the city. The enterprise is also raising awareness among the population about the potential and importance of recycling and resource conservation.

• "Loja de Energias" empowers rural women through disseminating eco-friendly energy sources. The enterprise's energy shops, managed by women, are spreading improved cook stoves and photovoltaic systems throughout rural communities, who in turn benefit from increased lighting hours and gain awareness about the products' environmental, financial and health benefits.

• "Terra Nova Waste to Farming" produces a natural compost fertiliser from urban organic waste, employing underprivileged local people in its production. In a region with insufficient soil fertility, the enterprise closes the cycle between waste and agricultural inputs to enhance productivity and food security, simultaneously generating income for dozens of workers.

• "O Viveiro" fosters community development, food security and women's entrepreneurship by offering training sessions in organic farming and technology-enhanced food processing practices to underprivileged girls at the O Viveiro Centre. The products are sold at two shops and a restaurant run by the girls and women of the community through a cooperative system.

Namibia:

• "Lighting Up Women's Lives" is an innovative enterprise by Omba Arts Trust to support Shankara Craft, an enterprise supporting 150 women weavers in six rural villages in the Kavango region of Namibia. Making use of their established network of partners, supply chains, logistics and transport, the enterprise is leveraging existing structures by expanding into selling solar lights and batteries.

The 2015 SEED Awards in Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia are supported by the Government of Flanders, which is active in Southern Africa.

The 2015 SEED South Africa Winners are:

• "EcoBrick Exchange" combines green construction with community participation and childhood education. The enterprise has developed reusable, fireproof bricks made from waste plastic that can be made easily by local residents, resulting in reduced plastic pollution on the streets and in landfill, and increased environmental awareness. In partnership with communities, the enterprise implements low-cost buildings such as childhood centres.

• "Khepri Bioscience" is piloting the process of innovatively reusing abattoir waste to produce high quality, low cost animal feed. Contributing to lowering the price of animal feeds and hence the price of food, the enterprise is improving food security and creating jobs in the region while closing the loop between organic waste and farming.

• "SavvyLoo" aims to bring a waterless toilet system to rural areas and temporary settlements across Africa. The innovative design is a competitive alternative to waterborne sanitation, pit latrines, chemical toilets and composting toilets. It is easy to install and relocate, saves water and is more hygienic than alternatives while also producing a waste output that can easily be converted into energy.

These 2015 SEED Awards in South Africa are largely supported by the European Union, which is made up of 28 Member States who have decided to gradually link together their know-how, resources and destinies. Additional support is from Hisense.

• "P.E.A.C.E.-Thinana Recycling Cooperative" addresses social, economic and environmental issues in rural and semi-urban areas of South Africa through a waste recycling and buy-back centre. Utilizing non-motorised trolleys and donkey carts, the enterprise cleans up neighbourhoods and reduces waste going to the landfill while creating employment and educating communities about the benefits of recycling.

• "The Moringa Cooperative" is the only South African enterprise to produce organically certified Moringa oil in South Africa, combining nutritional Moringa leaf powder production with processing oil as a high-value cosmetic by-product. The women-led cooperative enterprise works with, and educates, local Eco-Schools and communities.

• "Vula" is a mobile phone application that empowers rural health professionals to provide efficient and effective eye care by remotely accessing accurate information. Frontline practitioners communicate directly and paperless with specialists, discussing the patient over a messaging system. The improved quality of primary care and accurate referrals to specialists reduce the impact of treatable and reversible illnesses.

These 2015 SEED Awards in 2 South African provinces are supported by the Government of Flanders, which is active in Southern Africa.

Further details about the SEED Winners 2015 can be found on the SEED's website at http://www.seed.uno/awards/all/2015.html.

2015 SEED International Jury

The 2015 SEED Award Winners were selected by the independent SEED International Jury, which generously dedicated considerable time to selecting the most promising of the applications. Celebrating 10 years of SEED Awards, both a member of the first jury, Kaarin Taipale, and a representative of one the first 5 SEED Winners in 2005, Olivia Vent, joined the International Jury this year.

The members of the jury are:

• Bert van Nieuwenhuizen: Chief Technical Advisor Africa Biogas Partnership Programme, SNV Kenya.

• Catalina Alvarez Morato: Sub Director, Colombia Clean Energy Program, Colombia.

• Crispin Rapinet: Partner, Hogan Lovells, United Kingdom.

• Daisy Kambalame-Kalima: Country Director, IDH: The Sustainable Trade Initiative, Malawi.

• David Sher: Investment Director, Low Carbon Enterprise Fund, United Kingdom.

• Douglas Kativu: Head of Global Reporting Initiative Focal Point, South Africa.

• Edward Mungai: CEO, Climate Innovation Center, Kenya.

• Helmy Abouleish: Managing Director, SEKEM Holding, Egypt.

• Jane Kisakye: Independent Senior Advisor on Environment Conservation and Community Development, Uganda.

• Joyce Kyalema: Founder, JOSMAK International (U) Limited, 2013 SEED Winner, Uganda.

• Juha Miettinen: Team Leader, Southern Africa Innovation Support (SAIS) programme, Namibia.

• Kaarin Taipale: 2005 SEED International Jury member, local politician, researcher on sustainability and urban development, Finland.

• Karon Shaiva: Chief Impact Officer & Managing Director, Idobro, India.

• Leticia Greyling: Senior Lecturer, Rhodes Business School, South Africa.

• Nancy Chege: National Coordinator, Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme, Kenya.

• Olivia Vent: Coordinator, A Global Marketing Partnership for SRI Indigenous Rice, 2005 SEED Winner, United States.

• Patricio Sande: President, Scientific Research Association of Mozambique.

• Paul Laird: Corporate Partnerships Manager, Earthwatch, United Kingdom.

• Pieter van Heyningen: Programme Manager, Stellenbosch Innovation District (SID); and Bertha Centre for Social Innovation, South Africa.

• Saphira Patel: Manager Operations and Evaluations, Development Bank of Southern Africa , South Africa.

• Sarah Timpson: Senior Adviser on Community-based Initiatives, UNDP, United States.

• Saul Levin: Head of Research and Policy Strategy, Trade and Industrial Policy Strategies (TIPS), South Africa.

• Scott Overdyke: Senior Program & Planning Manager, Root Capital, United States.

• Shrashtant Patara: Senior Vice President, Development Alternatives, India.

• Valerie Green: Director Climate and Energy Unit, National Business Initiative, South Africa.

About SEED

SEED was founded in 2002 by UNEP, UNDP and IUCN to contribute towards the Millennium Development Goals and the commitments made at the Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development. SEED identifies, profiles and supports innovative, locally-driven start-up enterprises that integrate social, environmental and economic benefits into their business models at the outset. Based in developing countries, these enterprises work in partnership with stakeholders to improve livelihoods, tackle poverty and marginalization, and manage natural resources sustainably.

SEED also develops learning resources for the broad community of social and environmental entrepreneurs, informs policy- and decision-makers, and aims to inspire innovative, entrepreneurial approaches to sustainable development.

Partners of SEED, in addition to the Founding Partners, are the governments of Flanders, Germany, India, the Netherlands, South Africa, and the United States of America; the European Union; Conservation International; Hogan Lovells; UNIDO and UN Women; and SEED's corporate partner, Hisense.

SEED is hosted by Adelphi Research, based in Germany.

For more information contact:

Jona Liebl, SEED Communications Specialist, jona.liebl@seed.uno, +49 89 273 730 41

SEED Media Team, media@seed.uno

UNEP News Desk, unepnewsdesk@unep.org, +254 715876185