The GAYO team with the Minister of State for Climate Chage (second right)
The leadership of the Green Africa Youth Organization (GAYO), jointly led by Executive Director Richard Martey and Co-founder Desmond Alugnoa, paid a courtesy call on the Minister of State for Climate Change and Sustainability to present the prestigious 2024 Earthshot Prize and explore opportunities for deeper cooperation.
GAYO was announced the winner of the 2024 Earthshot Prize in the “Clean Our Air” category during a high-profile ceremony in Cape Town, South Africa.
The organisation was recognised for its innovative “Zero Waste Model,” a community-based approach that promotes sustainable waste management, reduces pollution, and creates green jobs for young people, women, and other vulnerable groups.
In 2023 alone, GAYO prevented 170 tonnes of waste—104 tonnes of organic and 66 tonnes of plastic—from reaching landfills.
This contributed to significant reductions in CO₂ emissions and improved air quality.
The model has also created over 70 green jobs and positively impacted more than 5,000 people.
Speaking during the presentation, GAYO Executive Director Richard Martey emphasized the need for strengthened collaboration with government institutions to scale up climate solutions.
“The Earthshot Prize is not just a recognition of what we’ve done—it is a call to do more. We are committed to expanding our Zero Waste Model across Ghana and into other African countries, and we believe working hand in hand with the Ministry can help us multiply this impact,” Martey said.
Co-founder Desmond Alugnoa added:
“We see this as a collective win for Ghana and for African youth. It proves that solutions are emerging from the ground up, and it’s time to center community-driven action in national policy and investment.”
The minister warmly congratulated the team for their outstanding achievement and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to empowering youth-led environmental innovations.
“GAYO’s Earthshot win is a proud moment for Ghana. It demonstrates what is possible when passion meets purpose. As a Ministry, we are eager to explore how we can support your scale-up efforts and integrate such impactful models into our national environmental strategies,” the minister stated.
The meeting concluded with discussions around formal partnerships in the areas of community waste management, youth climate training, and support for GAYO’s expansion into other regions. With the £1 million prize funding and growing global attention, GAYO is poised to accelerate its work, helping to shape a cleaner, greener, and more inclusive future.
The Earthshot prize includes £1 million to scale up the impact of GAYO’s work.
