17 Y/O•Thika, Kenya•Other
Fredrick Njoroge Kariuki
Africa Regional Winner of The Earth Prize 2026 — the world's largest environmental competition for students aged 13–19 ($100,000 prize pool); selected from 6,095 entries across 160+ countries.
What they built
HewaSafi – a low-cost hybrid vehicle exhaust purification and carbon capture system built from locally sourced African materials including maize cobs, coconut shells, steel mesh, and agricultural waste. The system captures over 90% of harmful vehicle emissions (particulate matter, carbon) at a fraction of the cost of commercial alternatives, directly addressing urban air pollution across African cities.
View ProjectThe F18 Thesis
Verified track record
- Earth Prize 2026 Africa Regional Winner — $12,500 prize, selected from 6,095 global entries
- Featured by Mongabay (major environmental journalism outlet), May 2026
- First Runner-Up at additional entrepreneurship competition (HewaSafi Instagram, June 2026)
- HundrED Youth Ambassador 2025
- Yale Young Global Scholars 2026
- Featured by The Earth Foundation on LinkedIn (134 reactions)
- Earth Prize 2026 Africa Regional Winner (May 12, 2026) — selected from 6,095 global entries. Coverage: Mongabay (May 2026), The Earth Foundation LinkedIn, Earth Prize YouTube. School: M-PESA Foundation Academy, Thika, Kenya. Team: Fredrick Njoroge Kariuki and Miron Onsarigo. Source (source)
Updated July 8, 2026