Prize nomination: Elevate Prize 2027

In 2 to 3 sentences, what does this leader or organization do, who do they serve, and why is this work especially important right now?

The nominee is the founder and CEO of a nonprofit building circular, solar-powered systems that turn electronic and plastic waste into renewable energy for underserved communities. The organization serves people living with energy poverty, including refugees, internally displaced people, children and low-resource communities, providing lighting, charging access, climate education and safer alternatives to kerosene and unreliable power. This work is urgent now because rising climate vulnerability, displacement and energy inequality are colliding across Africa, and the organization offers a practical model that addresses all three at once: clean energy access, waste reduction and community resilience.

What makes this leader especially ready for Elevate's platform and partnership at this moment?

The nominee has moved beyond idea-stage promise into real traction, public validation and geographic expansion. The organization reports tens of thousands of people reached through clean energy solutions, including solar lighting and charging access for refugees and internally displaced people, and has trained thousands of young people in renewable energy and sustainability.

In the last year, that momentum has accelerated: the nominee received a major international youth leadership award, the organization was selected for a global sustainable ventures accelerator, and it delivered its first project in a second country, a sign of readiness to grow beyond its original base. Elevate's platform could help convert this momentum into larger partnerships, wider public recognition and faster expansion of a model that is already proving both practical and inspiring.

Tell us about one moment, story or example that captures this leader's impact or leadership.

One example is the organization's work bringing solar-powered infrastructure to displaced communities. In places where darkness can mean insecurity, interrupted schooling and no safe way to charge a phone or reach basic services, the nominee helped build practical, community-centered energy systems that restored light, safety and connection.

What makes this moment powerful is that the nominee did not approach the problem with a one-dimensional charity solution. The model is rooted in dignity and ingenuity, transforming discarded waste into infrastructure that directly improves daily life for people who have been pushed to the margins. That combination of technical creativity, urgency and human-centered leadership is what defines the nominee's impact.

If Elevate were to amplify this leader and their work, what kind of influence, momentum or impact could grow?

Elevate could help the organization grow in three ways at once. First, it could accelerate operational reach by unlocking larger partnerships with humanitarian, education and climate actors that can extend its energy solutions across more communities and countries.

Second, it could increase public and narrative influence by making the nominee a more visible global voice for African-built climate solutions, shifting the conversation from imported technologies to locally designed systems grounded in circular economy principles.

Third, it could strengthen fundraising and ecosystem momentum around a model that sits at the intersection of climate, displacement, youth leadership and clean energy access, allowing the organization to scale its products and stand as a broader movement for community-led resilience.