A USAID Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) alumnus from the Regional Leadership Center (RLC) in East Africa is the winner of this year’s Waislitz Global Citizen Award for his work providing clean energy for thousands of Kenyans. Peter Njeri, a Cohort 8 graduate, is the CEO of Mega Gas Alternative Energy, which converts unsorted waste polythene/plastics, such as discarded water bottles that litter the environment, into clean gaseous fuel through a thermal cracking process. The process uses compression that creates no emissions, residue, or pollution to the environment. The fuel is harvested into metal cylinders for easy use and handling. For the past nine years, the Waislitz Global Citizen Awards have championed inspiring people working within their communities to overcome challenges like air and water pollution, period poverty, unstable infrastructure, and gender disparities in education, and drive forward the mission to end extreme poverty. The grand prize comes with a $100,000 award for Mr. Njeri. In addition, YALI Mandela Washington Fellow Oluwafunke Adeoye of Nigeria was awarded the 2023 Waislitz Global Citizen Choice Award for her work as a human rights attorney closing the justice gap by providing free legal services and direct support to low-income incarcerated individuals while promoting criminal justice reforms through research, evidence-based advocacy, and technology.
