Green Africa Youth Organization (GAYO), a Ghanaian waste management enterprise, has been awarded the Earthshot Prize, securing a £1 million ($1.2 million) grant to advance its work in environmental protection.

The award was presented at the Earthshot Prize ceremony in Cape Town, South Africa, recognising GAYO’s innovative efforts to address waste management and air pollution in Ghana.

GAYO co-founder Desmond Alugnoa and project manager Jacob Attakpah accepted the prize amid a star-studded event attended by global figures, including Prince William, South African TV personality Bonang Matheba, and American actor Billy Porter. 

This year, the Earthshot Prize, founded by Prince William, spotlighted solutions to urgent environmental challenges. GAYO was one of five winners selected from 15 finalists across the globe, chosen for their impact on categories such as waste reduction, ocean revival, air quality improvement, climate change mitigation, and nature conservation.

GAYO’s work, which began with beach clean-ups in 2014, has grown into a significant environmental force in Ghana, championing waste reduction and advocating for fair conditions for waste pickers. 

Their approach has been lauded for reducing open-air burning and incineration of waste, improving air quality in urban areas.

With the Earthshot Prize funding and support, GAYO plans to expand its work beyond Ghana’s borders, promoting a zero-waste strategy across Africa.

This year’s Earthshot Prize event underscored the crucial role Africa plays in environmental innovation, with Kenyan organisation Keep IT Cool (KIC) also winning for their work in sustainable refrigeration for East African farmers.