Ghanaian social entrepreneur picks UN award

Kwaku Kyei

Ghanaian social entrepreneur, Kwaku Kyei has been selected as a winner of the 2011 UNEP SEED Initiative Award.

The Awards recognize inspiring social and environmental entrepreneurs whose businesses can help meet sustainable development challenges.

Kwaku has been using his holistic education from Valley View University and talents to contribute to Ghana's green economy through his Recnowa Initiative www.recnowa.org which he co-founded with three young enterprising Ghanaians.

The project is contributing to the fight against the plastic waste menace in Ghana by up-cycling waste into high fashion goods whiles creating employment opportunities for street youth and unemployed artisans.

Kwaku competed with over 500 applicants from 76 countries worldwide with his innovative approach in solving local environmental problems while showing high potential to leave the start-up phase.

He will receive from SEED a package worth US$50,000 of individually-tailored support for his businesses, access to relevant expertise and technical assistance, and profiling at national and international level at conferences and through the SEED's partners and associates.

Kwaku will be honored at a high-level award ceremony in South Africa which will form part of the SEED Green Economy Symposium at the end of March 2012.

He recently received the US President's Volunteer Service Award by President Obama for his outstanding contribution in engaging the youth of the United States in mobilizing international development assistance from the US to Africa.

The annual international SEED Awards, which is part of the SEED Initiative, recognize inspiring social and environmental entrepreneurs whose grassroots businesses in developing countries can help to meet sustainable development challenges.

The SEED Initiative hosted at the UN Environment Programme's World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) is a global partnership for action on the Green Economy.

By helping entrepreneurs to scale-up their activities, the SEED Initiative aims to boost local economies, tackle poverty and improve livelihoods, while promoting the sustainable use of resources and ecosystems.

Story by Kofi Adu Domfeh/Luv Fm/Ghana