Vegetable business wins Netfund award

An entrepreneur who helped reclaim 100 acres of land from a dumping site in Nanyuki to do vegetable growing for commercial purposes has won the National Environmental Trust Fund's green award. George Kanyi Kuria was named the 2012 winner of the award which recognizes individuals, groups and organizations that have innovatively protected and sustained the environment.

Kuria whose business project has been running for five years reclaimed the biggest dumping site in Nanyuki with the help of the military, the municipal council and the area's water and sewerage company for use as a vegetable farm that also reformed the life of 80 street children. Kuria won one million shillings for his efforts.

“As NETFUND, our mandate is to ensure that sufficient resources are available to maintain a clean healthy environment. But, we recognize that without community input, our efforts will come to naught. Through the award, we will provide incentives to recognize ideas, innovation, groundbreaking research, and extraordinary grass root initiatives in Kenya," said Netfund CEO Catherine Ndegwa.