Mid-to-late this year, our Founder and CEO, Joseph Turay, was selected as one of the 50 2024 Youth4Climate Awardees by the UNDP Rome Centre and the Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security (MEES). The award recognizes young people tackling climate issues in their communities. The award includes up to USD 30,000 and technical support, enabling the youth innovators to continue creating environmental impacts.
Joseph was chosen for his commitment to combating the climate crisis in Sierra Leone through the Route 360 Solutions Initiative, which collects and transforms single-use plastic waste into ecobricks for pavement projects. He became the second Sierra Leonean to be nominated for the award since the inauguration in 2023.
The award is a testament to Joseph’s contribution to the place he calls home. With the award, Joseph and his team aim to scale R360SI’s impact across Sierra Leone by building climate resilience among youth and women in the Kroo Bay, Cockle Bay, and Susan’s Bay slums in Freetown City. We are proud of this great milestone achieved by Joseph and the R360SI team. We are looking forward to equipping youth and women in the communities mentioned above.
In October this year, Joseph will join the other 49 awardees in Turin, Italy, to receive the award on behalf of our team. We are wishing our CEO all the very best as he prepares to represent us on the international stage yet again.