ERICK MUTUA MBEVA

Erick Mbeva is a Kenyan social entrepreneur and environmental innovator, best known as the President and Founder of the Green Culture Community Initiative (GCCIAFRICA). His work focuses on promoting circular economy practices and sustainable livelihoods through climate-smart solutions.

GCCIAFRICA addresses environmental challenges by transforming waste into valuable products. The initiative produces eco-friendly items such as soot-less charcoal briquettes made from trash, durable handicrafts and home décor that replace traditional wood carvings, and cost-effective Interlocking Stabilized Soil Blocks (ISSBs) as alternatives to kiln-fired bricks. These innovations aim to reduce deforestation, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and provide income-generating opportunities for unemployed youth and teen mothers in Kenya.

Mbeva's efforts have gained national and international recognition. In 2018, he won the National Innovation Challenge organized by Junior Achievement Kenya and NIC Bank. He was also selected to represent Kenya at the Get in the Ring Global Meetup finals in Portugal in 2018 and again in Berlin in 2019.

Beyond his entrepreneurial ventures, Mbeva has served as a Life Skills and Entrepreneurship Trainer with Kenya Youth Employment Opportunities Project (KYEOP), and he is an alumnus of the YALI/DOW East Africa program. His work continues to inspire a new generation of green innovators and changemakers across Kenya.