Commonwealth Innovators


Africa
Young Nigerian and Ugandan Innovators Combat Food Waste
Due to electricity shortages and lack of storage facilities, half of all the fruit and vegetables produced in Africa is thrown away, even though millions of people across the continent are going hungry. Young Nigerian entrepreneur Nnaemeka Ikegwuonu and Ugandan engineering graduate Lawrence Okettayot have developed low-tech innovative solutions to address the problem in their own countries.
Asia
School Dropout Who Revolutionalised Menstrual Health for Rural Women
Arunachalam Muruganantham, a school dropout from a poor family in southern India, has revolutionised menstrual health for rural women in developing countries by inventing a simple machine they can use to make cheap sanitary pads. Muruganantham's mission was not just to increase the use of sanitary pads, but also to create jobs for rural women.
Caribbean
Trinidadian Entrepreneur Transforms Coconut Waste Into Fashionable Eyewear
Darceuil Duncan, an environmental manager in Trinidad and Tobago, was looking for a creative solution to the problem of organic waste generated by the coconut sector in her country. In the process, she also saw an opportunity to set up an environment-friendly company that today produces fashionable eyewear from coconut husk.
Pacific
Vanuatu Innovator Uses Bamboo to Promote Hygiene and Cut Plastic Use
Lack of running water is often the cause of severe malnutrition and other illnesses in rural communities across Pacific island countries. Tom Yakken, a village resident in Vanuatu, has developed a ‘tippy tap’ (a makeshift handwashing device) made from bamboo, which has led to a reduction in the use of plastic bottles and also an improvement in hygiene levels and health outcomes in the community.