Afri-Plastics Challenge: Meet the judges

News – Blog

Afri-Plastics Challenge: Meet the judges

29 September 2021

  • Lauren Bellefeuille

The Afri-Plastics Challenge has announced its judging panel, comprising 12 experts from across the globe.

The Challenge aims to help communities throughout Sub-Saharan Africa to prevent plastic waste from entering the marine environment by finding ways to minimize reliance on plastic, new ways of managing plastic waste, and/or new uses for plastic that has been discarded. It will award a collective total of CAD$14.5 million in financial support and at least $1 million in capacity-building support to innovators across Sub-Saharan Africa.

12 experts will serve on the Judging Panel and will be responsible for selecting the semi-finalists, finalists and winners for each strand of the Challenge. The prestigious panel is composed of nationally and internationally recognized leaders in environmental innovation, sustainability, plastic-waste management, the circular economy, and more.

As well as a panel of core judges, there are also judges for each of the Strands of the Challenge – more information about which can be found here.

Core judges

Juliette Biao Koudenoukpo smiles at the camera

Juliette Biao Koudenoukpo

Juliette Biao Koudenoukpo, Director & Regional Representative for Africa, United Nations Environment Programme

Dr. Adenike Akinsemolu faces the camera

Dr. Adenike Akinsemolu

Dr Adenike Akinsemolu, Founder & Director, The Green Institute 

Ida Nganga smiles at the camera

Ida Nganga

Ida Nganga, Regional Head, Anglophone Countries for UNESCO Emerging Technologies for Development  

Radhia Mtonga smiles at the camera

Radhia Mtonga

Radhia Mtonga, Social Enterprise Learning & Development Co-Ordinator, BongoHive

Strand One Judges (Accelerating Growth)

Jocelyne Landry Tsonang looks to the camera

Jocelyne Landry Tsonang

Jocelyne Landry Tsonang, Executive Team Member, African Circular Economy Network

Edward Mungai faces the camera

Edward Mungai

Edward Mungai, Chief Executive Officer, Kenya Climate Innovation Center (KCIC)

Strand Two Judges (Creating Solutions)

Matthew Haden smiles at the camera

Matthew Haden

Matthew Haden, Founder and Managing Director, The Recycler Tanzania

Oliver Nudds faces the camera

Oliver Nudds

Oliver Nudds, Managing Director, Ocean Plastics Technologies

Strand Two Judges (Creating Solutions)