ASEZA

22/04/2026

Africa’s community innovators are turning waste into opportunity; transforming plastic, cooking oil, and surplus crops into jobs, clean energy, and food security solutions across the continent. ♻️🌍

Finalists in the WAFA - Water Air Food Awards 2026 are showcasing how locally driven solutions are tackling environmental and economic challenges from the ground up.

In Kenya, The The FlipFlopi Project is converting plastic waste into durable materials and livelihoods along the coast, while KOMB GREEN SOLUTIONS is restoring degraded urban spaces by turning organic waste into income opportunities for youth and women.

In South Africa, Lathitha Biodiesel is transforming used cooking oil into renewable biodiesel and creating green jobs in township communities. Meanwhile, Laboscience in Ethiopia is converting post-harvest food waste into livestock feed and fertilizers, and GreenBox in Republic of the Congo is helping farmers cut losses through solar-powered cold storage solutions.

Their recognition ahead of the Generation Green Forum 2026 signals a broader shift; where Africa’s sustainability future is increasingly being shaped by grassroots innovation, circular economy thinking, and community-led climate action.

Read the full story by Solomon Irungu N.: https://lnkd.in/dutv5t5f

21/04/2026

The 12th Mozambique Mining and Energy Conference (MMEC) 2026 will take place on 6-7 May under the theme "Mozambique: Open for Business - Unlocking Natural Resources for Industrialisation, Diversification, and Inclusive Growth."
Our CEO, , will be attending, speaking as a panelist, and we look forward to engaging with partners, investors, and industry peers in key discussions on the future of mining and energy in Mozambique, as well as being part of this space for dialogue, collaboration, and new opportunities. .mz

15/04/2026

A Wall to Stop the Desert

Across Africa, an extraordinary climate solution is taking root. The Great Green Wall is an ambitious effort led by over 20 countries to restore degraded land and slow the spread of the Sahara Desert.

Stretching nearly 8,000 km from Senegal to Djibouti, this initiative is not a literal wall—but a living network of trees, vegetation, and sustainable land practices designed to revive ecosystems and protect communities.

🌍 Why it matters:
Desertification, driven by climate change and unsustainable land use, threatens food security, water availability, and livelihoods across the Sahel region. The Great Green Wall aims to restore 100 million hectares of land, capture carbon, and create millions of green jobs by 2030.

🌱 More than trees:
This project goes beyond reforestation. It includes regenerative agriculture, water management, and local community empowerment—making it a powerful model for climate resilience and sustainable development.

⚡ The bigger picture:
In the race toward net zero, nature-based solutions like this are critical. Restoring land not only absorbs carbon but also strengthens biodiversity and supports long-term economic stability.

This isn’t just a wall—it’s a movement.
A vision where nations unite not to divide, but to survive and thrive.

Source: Net Zero Frontiers (LinkedIn)

13/04/2026

Food for thought 🌍 ...

Imagine driving your car… powered by leftover cooking oil 🚘 ⛽

An innovative recycling approach highlights how used cooking oil can be converted into cleaner fuel alternatives. Instead of becoming waste, this oil is refined into biodiesel, offering a practical alternative to traditional fossil fuels. And the best part? It can power regular diesel engines with minimal or no modifications.

Countries like Finland have been actively promoting biofuel initiatives to lower carbon emissions. Turning waste into energy aligns with circular economy principles.

This approach solves two major challenges at once:
• Reducing environmental waste
• Lowering dependence on fossil fuels
• Cutting greenhouse gas emissions
• Preventing water and soil pollution
• Promoting a circular economy

As global demand for cleaner fuels rises, solutions like this demonstrate how everyday waste can be repurposed into valuable resources.

Turning everyday waste into valuable resources isn’t just smart… it’s necessary for the future.

Source: Waste Innovation Stories (LinkedIn)

10/04/2026

Are you young, ambitious, and living in Nampula, Niassa, or Cabo Delgado and looking for a real opportunity to start your professional career?

This is your moment!

MozYouth Foundation opens doors for skills development, practical experience, and direct connection with the job market.

Don't let this opportunity pass you by. Register now for the internship program and take the first step towards your professional future!

Registration link:
https://lnkd.in/d_7AqE5k

09/04/2026

Turning Plastic Waste into Stronger Bricks 🧱

Plastic pollution is one of the world’s toughest environmental challenges—but in Kenya, a young engineer is turning this problem into a circular economy solution.

Nzambi Matee, founder of Gjenge Makers, has invented a way to recycle discarded plastic into durable, eco-friendly bricks that can be stronger and lighter than traditional cement blocks. Her process combines shredded plastic with sand, which is then heated and compressed into bricks suitable for sidewalks, streets, and low-cost construction.

Why this matters:

♻ Waste becomes a resource – Instead of ending up in landfills or rivers, plastic is repurposed to build infrastructure.
🏗 Durable and efficient – These bricks outperform many cement alternatives while reducing construction costs and carbon emissions.
🌱 Promotes circular economy – Every brick represents a looped lifecycle: plastic waste → building material → community infrastructure.
💼 Economic impact – Gjenge Makers creates jobs, trains local workers, and demonstrates that sustainability can also drive local business growth.

Globally, the construction sector is one of the largest contributors to carbon emissions. By replacing cement with recycled plastic bricks, projects like this reduce both CO₂ emissions and environmental pollution. Matee’s innovation exemplifies the power of thinking differently about waste—not as a burden, but as an opportunity for sustainable growth.

Her work has earned recognition from the United Nations Environment Programme, including the “Young Champion of the Earth” award, proving that innovative solutions can scale impact both environmentally and economically.

South-to-North innovation like this is a reminder that circular economy principles are not just about recycling—they are about redesigning systems, creating jobs, and protecting the planet simultaneously.

As we look for sustainable solutions worldwide, projects like Gjenge Makers show that small-scale innovation can deliver outsized benefits—for communities, for the environment, and for the economy.

Source: Circularity Hub

08/04/2026

The Hidden Price of Single-Use Plastic

Single-use plastic feels convenient—but its impact lasts centuries. Bags, bottles, straws, coffee cups, diapers… most take 200–600 years to decompose. Every “disposable” choice adds to a long-term environmental debt.

It doesn’t just disappear. Plastic fragments into microplastics, spreading through soil, water, air, and even food chains. Wildlife ingests it, ecosystems weaken, and cleanup becomes nearly impossible. Production relies on fossil fuels, adding carbon emissions before the item is even used.

The problem isn’t need—it’s habit. Default packaging, takeaway culture, and over-wrapping keep consumption high. But alternatives exist:

• Reusable bottles instead of single-use
• Cloth bags instead of plastic bags
• Refill stations instead of sachets
• Reusable cutlery, cups, and containers
• Products with minimal or no plastic packaging

No single action solves plastic pollution—but every avoided item prevents centuries of waste. Combining everyday choices, business innovation, and policy shifts can move us toward a circular economy.

Single-use convenience lasts minutes. Its consequences last lifetimes. Often, the most sustainable choice is the one never made.

Image credit: Visual Capitalist

Source: Waste Innovation Stories

06/04/2026

From Coconut Husks to Climate Gold

Vietnamese schools are turning discarded coconut husks into rooftop panels that cool classrooms by up to 6 °C without electricity. What was once agricultural waste is now a sustainable building material providing comfort, energy savings, and climate resilience.

The panels work through passive cooling: the fibrous structure of coconut husks traps air, reducing heat transfer and keeping classrooms cooler during extreme heat. This low‑tech, zero-energy approach offers a practical alternative to air conditioning, cutting emissions and operating costs.

♻️ Circular Economy in Action: Coconut husks, usually discarded, are transformed into durable, biodegradable panels.
💡 Waste Innovation: A simple agricultural by-product becomes a high-value solution for energy efficiency and climate adaptation.
🌱 Community Impact: Cooler classrooms improve learning environments and protect students and teachers from heat stress.

This initiative demonstrates that waste can become a resource when creativity and local materials meet sustainability goals. It’s a reminder that solutions to climate challenges don’t always need advanced technology — sometimes, the key is reimagining the materials already around us.

Vietnam’s coconut husks show that even small-scale innovations can deliver measurable environmental, social, and economic benefits, turning what was once discarded into climate-smart infrastructure.

Source: Waste Innovation Stories (Instagram)

02/04/2026

Green Climate Fund approves $441m for African climate projects, mobilising $1.1bn in co-financing. Major boost for renewable energy access and climate resilience across the continent.

31/03/2026

Nature’s Circular Powerhouses

Two plants are quietly reshaping the future of sustainable materials: bamboo and h**p.

Fast-growing, low-input, and highly versatile, they represent a shift from extractive systems to regenerative ones. Bamboo can grow in a wide range of climates and regenerate rapidly without replanting. H**p enriches soil, requires fewer chemicals, and produces high yields in short cycles.

But the real impact lies in circularity.

From textiles and packaging to construction and bio-based alternatives, these materials can replace resource-intensive inputs like plastics, timber, and fossil-based products. Their ability to be reused, recycled, and reintegrated into natural systems makes them ideal for a circular economy.

The potential is massive, but scaling matters.

Sustainable sourcing, responsible processing, and efficient supply chains will determine whether bamboo and h**p deliver true climate benefits or fall into the same linear traps.

For businesses and policymakers, this is an opportunity to rethink material flows:

Design out waste.
Keep resources in use.
Regenerate natural systems.

Because the transition to a circular economy will not be driven by a single breakthrough,
but by smarter use of what nature already provides.

Source: Sustainability Circle

30/03/2026